


My Tears Are Becoming A Sea

by pr0blematic



Series: Tommy Angst [4]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: All Platonic - Freeform, Angst, Angst and Drama, Angst and Feels, Anxiety, Anxious Toby Smith | Tubbo, Brotherly Love, Dark Technoblade, Dave | Technoblade and Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, Depressed Tommyinnit, Depression, Dissociation, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Eating Disorders, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Evil Technoblade, Evil Wilbur Soot, Family Angst, Family Dynamics, Fear, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt TommyInnit, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kidnapping, Literal Sleeping Together, Manipulation, Mild Comfort, Minecraft, Minecraft IRL, No Romance, No Sex, No Slash, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Not Canon Compliant, Older Sibling Technoblade, Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Poor Toby Smith | Tubbo, Pre-Festival, Protective Philza, Protective Siblings, References to Depression, Sad Toby Smith | Tubbo, Sad TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Scared TommyInnit, Sorry Not Sorry, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Friendship, Toby Smith | Tubbo Misses TommyInnit, TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit Misses Toby Smith | Tubbo, TommyInnit centric, Villain Wilbur Soot, Weight Issues, Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, Younger Sibling TommyInnit, bad things happen, pre-tubbo's speech at the festival, sorry - Freeform, weight loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:16:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 28,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27151666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pr0blematic/pseuds/pr0blematic
Summary: The alternate ending for Gay_gay_gay 's prompt. Wilbur and Technoblade kidnap Tommy.
Relationships: ALL PLATONIC, Dave | Technoblade & TommyInnit, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, No romance - Relationship, TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Series: Tommy Angst [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980241
Comments: 175
Kudos: 1839





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ow](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27006562) by [Gay_Gay_Gay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gay_Gay_Gay/pseuds/Gay_Gay_Gay). 



> WARNING THIS FIC CONTAINS DRUGGING OF A MINOR BUT NOT FOR ANYTHING SEXUAL. WARNING FOR EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION/PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES
> 
> 1\. no romantic relationships
> 
> 2\. this will probably have some heavy manipulations and warped perception of people and reality

When Tommy was sure Wilbur wouldn’t hear him, he ran. Leaves crunched beneath his feet and he could hear his wheezing breath despite trying to hold it in. His arms stung from wear branches scraped passed as he ran.

_Shit. Shit. Fuck—ow, keep going._

_Branch!_

_Shit—! Okay, keep going._

He simultaneously jumped over a rock and ducked his head to avoid a pine branch, frantically rubbing a hand through his hair at the uncomfortable feeling of the pine needles brushing through his hair.

_Get off-Get off._

_Get away. Run straight. Far away._

_Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck._

He looked back every five seconds and only diverged from running straight when there was a tree in his way. His arms pumped wildly and shoved tree limbs out of his way.

_Focus. Run. Jump. Swerve. Fuck! It’s okay. Keep running._

His calves burned deep in his muscles and he knew once he stopped, it would be a while before he could move again.

 _Fuck this hurts. Keep running. Don’t stop. Not safe_.

His stomach ached every time he twisted and he wished he had done more running when he was back at the SMP. Before the war and Manburg.

He panted openly with his mouth hung open to try and quiet the noise. He could still hear Wilbur, though it was much softer now.

 _Away. Get the fuck away_.

His leg faltered and nearly sent him tumbling to the ground.

 _Oh-shit-oh-shit-oh-shit_.

He let out a curse and reached his arms out for something to keep him upright. Before his knees could hit the ground, a pair of hands reached out and held onto his upper arms, baring all of Tommy’s weight as his legs finally gave out.

 _Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck_.

Tommy struggled fiercely as panic overtook his mind.

_Danger!_

_Not safe! Get_

_away!_

_Not safe! Not safe!_

Tommy’s chest heaved with the effort to try and take in oxygen. It was hard to focus on anything with dark spots creeping in. “Oh, god—oh, god,” he whispered softly. “No-no-no-no-no-no-no—”

“Tommy, can you hear me?”

Tommy looked up sharply. 

_The Blade_.

Tommy stopped struggling and slumped forward in relief. He let his head drop against Technoblade’s chest.

 _Safe_.

“Techno—” Tommy’s voice came out much more wounded than he thought it would. He sounded like he was crying. “Techno.” The younger repeated, like a prayer.

“Tommy, what’s wrong?” Techno’s voice was monotone as always. Tommy only knew he was worried because of the arms holding him up and rubbing down his back gently. Techno hated physical contact. He rarely initiated it.

Tommy was grateful for and leaned further against who he saw as an older brother.

“Techno—it’s Wilbur. He—Wilbur, he—he’s fuckin’ lost it,” _shh, shh, shh_ , “he’s after me, Techno.” _It’s alright_. “He’s—Techno—I think he’s gonna bomb Manburg.” Tommy let out a sob he hadn’t realised he was holding back.

Tommy moved his hands from when they were gripping Techno’s arms to over his shoulders. Tommy hugged Techno tightly as his own shoulders shook.

_Why did this have to happen? Why to Wilbur? Why did it have to be Wilbur?_

“It’s alright. Big brother’s here now.” Techno’s arms tightened around Tommy’s sides as Tommy’s breath stuttered on a sob.

“Techno, I’m scared.” Tommy confessed in between gulps of air.

 _Not safe. Safe enough. Not far_.

“Don’t worry. We’ll protect you.”

Tommy’s eyelids fluttered and his heart stopped. “We?” He echoed numbly.

“We.” Wilbur affirmed from behind Tommy. Before Tommy could register what was happening, there was a needle in his neck and fluid being injected.

_Fucking—shit!_

Tommy pulled back slowly, pushing his arms against Technoblade’s shoulder gentle enough that the older man let him. “Techno,” Tommy accused softly.

Techno stared at him impassively.

 _Of course, he’s on Wil’s side. He’s always on Wil’s side. No one ever took_ his _side_.

Wilbur let out a laugh, “Why’re you guys so serious? Tommy—this had to be done.”

Tommy felt oddly calm. His heart rate went down and he could breathe. “I know.” _Do it_. His voice was quiet, _do it now_ , and before either could react, he punched Techno in the throat, letting out a dry sob when Techno dropped him to grab at his own throat while coughing harshly.

Tommy fell on his knees and scrambled up, swaying dangerously but pushing his body forward.

_Get-away-get-away-get-away!_

“Techno—!” Wilbur shouted. “Tommy—not so fast!” Wilbur jumped forward and grabbed Tommy’s arms with enough forced to jerk the younger back and have him crash into Wilbur’s side.

_Ow, fuck—that hurts!_

“Fuck you, bitch!” Tommy spat, forcing his knee into Wilbur’s stomach. Wilbur held on as he doubled over, but Tommy was able to shake out of Wil’s hold.

_Run. Run. Run._

He stumbled away from where the two were recovering and tried to run away. He managed a slow jog and weaved through trees to try and lose them.

_Fuck. This is fucked—this is so fucked!_

“Tommy,” Wilbur wheezed from a distance. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

 _Fuck you_.

Tommy didn’t look back but he couldn’t stop himself from shouting back. “This ‘s wrong, Wilbur! Bombing th’ city!? Tha’s fuckin’ insane!”

He nearly tripped and braced his arm on a nearby tree, wincing when his elbow scraped against the bark. He breathed heavily from his mouth and looked around for the best route.

“Oh, we’re not doing that anymore, Tommy!” Wilbur yelled; his voice much gravellier than normal. He sounded too close.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck_.

Tommy looked back briefly and moved forward when he didn’t see either of them. “What _are_ you doin’?”

Wilbur cackled and Tommy quickened his pace. Wilbur’s laugh was loud and hysterical, as if the answer was obvious.

_Am I limping? Not good._

“We’ve given up on Manburg, Tommy! Now, it’s just you.”

That made Tommy stop in his tracks. He spun in a circle when he heard a bush rustle. He was in a flat area surrounded by trees and shrubs. Not the best place to stop, considering two men were hunting him.

 _No_.

His head snapped the side when he heard leaves crunching.

_Stop it._

He backed away with his head turning every second at a new noise. His eyes were wide open and searching through the darkness.

 _Stop it_. _Leave me alone_.

They couldn’t have found him so quickly. He vaguely realised he was trembling. A mix of anxieties from being chased and alone in the dark made his heart pound and his stomach turn.

“Leave me alone.”

Hands clamped down on his shoulders and Tommy was too drained to fight back. He just felt so _tired_.

Wilbur stumbled out of the trees with a muttered curse aimed at a tree root.

_Who—_

He looked up and he frown morphed into a happy grin, “You got him! Thanks, Dream!”

Tommy forced his head up and saw the white mask looking down at him. Tommy blinked and felt tears rolling down his cheeks. “Don’ do this,” He slurred.

Technoblade appeared seconds after Wilbur, from the same path. He was rubbing his neck and flatly said, “That could’ve killed me, Tommy.”

Tommy looked back at him slowly and shook his head. “No, no—I—no. You were, this was,” he didn’t know what to say.

_Had he almost killed Technoblade?_

Wilbur tsked with an exaggerated frown, “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. What a bad boy you’ve been.”

 _No. Not bad. Not bad_.

Tommy could only shake his head weakly as his vision blurred with tears and a sob wracked his body. Wilbur cooed at him and cupped his face, squishing Tommy’s cheeks together, “Oh, don’t do that. It’s alright, we know you were just scared. Right, Techno?”

Techno didn’t verbally respond and Tommy couldn’t see past Wilbur. He tried to reach his hands up to pulled Wilbur’s off his face, but the felt so _heavy_.

 _Everything_ felt heavy. He stumbled back and found himself leaning on Dream to stand up.

“See, Tommy? We aren’t mad.” Wilbur continued. “We’re just gonna go away for a while. Just the three of us.”

Wilbur pulled Tommy off of Dream, causing the younger to stumble and fall against Wilbur’s chest. Wilbur let out a chuckle and bent down to lift Tommy in his arms. A hand—Techno’s—cradled Tommy’s head and lifted it from where it had fallen back. Techno adjusted Tommy to where his head was resting against Wilbur’s shoulder.

 _He should run_.

“Little guy’s worn himself out!” Wilbur whispered loudly with a grin.

 _He really should run_.

But between Technoblade and Dream, Tommy had no chance of escaping.

“Dream. Thanks for the help,” Techno said, causing Dream to halt from where he’d begun to walk away. Dream spared them a nod before taking off into the night.

“He’s so cute like this! Remember when he was younger?” Wilbur continued as him and Techno began walking through the woods.

Techno gave a half smile. “He’s always been so needy.”

Wilbur laughed and agreed with a roguish grin. “Definitely. I used to have to carry him everywhere!”

Techno hummed in agreement, and it was the last thing Tommy heard before passing out.


	2. No Light, No Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning: mentioned child abuse, drugging of a minor, and psychological abuse and issues
> 
> First off, wow I was not expecting so many replies! You guys are seriously so amazing and I swear I read every comment and tallied everyone’s opinion! (even the one’s that just said “same!” or “I completely agree!”, for those I went to the parent thread and re-counted the original commenters input)
> 
> Just to say a few things:
> 
> I was surprised by how many people did and didn’t want phil. There were a LOT of casual “no on Philza” ‘cause they were unsure how he’d fit in and a LOT of “PHILZA DADZA YES PHIL” and honestly same
> 
> The sick Wilbur/ Vilbur was neck-and-neck so I tried to make him consciously dark, but all to protect tommy
> 
> Schlatt was tricky because half wanted good and neutral and cause y’all are sadistic, a bunch of you wanted evil Schlatt, which…fair; to have tommy be rescued only to be trapped again? That’s some good angst shi…
> 
> As for the angst and fluff, I was surprised by how many people wanted fluff!! Most votes I counted went to the both category, with angst in second place, but fluff had—never mind lol I just recounted and fluff had five votes.
> 
> This was going to have A LOT more of Philza in it, but because about half of the people who commented didn’t want Philza, I cut it down a lot. 
> 
> And because someone talked about dream in a comment, that added thousands of words so…less Philza more dream. Because dream wasn’t going to be in this at all. so to the person who commented about dream (iwant_todie) dream is in this three times more than i had originally planned :)
> 
> ALSO, the chapter title is from No Light, No Light by Florence + The Machine; i think it fits the fic well as well as tommy on the SMP rn but no spoilers on that

The following days after what Tommy would later call “the kidnapping” were a haze of dreamless sleep and brief moments of drowsy awareness.

The first time Tommy woke up, he was in bed. His head was against someone’s chest and an arm was around his waist and he was _warm_. His limbs felt too heavy to move, and all he could manage were a few slow blinks before someone was shushing him back to darkness. He thought he could feel a hand running through his hair.

The second time he woke up, he was confused. He was still warm, but there was no one with him. He managed to push himself into a sitting position, but his shoulders were hunched with how tired he felt.

_Fuck, how long was I asleep?_

His fingers dragged against the sheets and he couldn’t remember when they felt so _stiff_. Phil made an effort to make sure their sheets and bedding were soft and comfortable. These were just on the wrong side of new, they felt like they hadn’t been washed yet.

 _Phil? He hadn’t lived with Phil for years now_.

He lethargically rubbed at his eyes and looked around the room. It was dimly lit by a lantern and all Tommy could see was the bed he was on and a chest nearby. _Was he at Tubbo’s house?_

He felt disoriented but too tired to care. He squinted in the darkness and looked up when his door creaked open.

Wilbur stood in the doorway. He looked taller than Tommy remembered and his hair was longer on the top and shorter on the back. He was dressed in dark clothing, but Tommy couldn’t tell if they were pyjamas or not.

The room didn’t have windows and he couldn’t guess what time it was.

“Hey, Toms,” Wilbur greeted softly, a cup in his hand. He softly closed the door behind him when he went into the room.

Something unfurled in his stomach and he felt a weight lift. “Wil? The fuck’s goin’ on?” He mumbled. _If Wilbur was here, then everything was alright. He was safe_. He propped and arm behind him and looked behind him before looking back at his older brother. “Where are we? This isn’t—I thought this was Tubbo’s place but—are we back home?”

Wil shook his head with a fond smile and sat on the edge of the bed. “No, Tommy. Don’t you remember? We took a vacation; you, me, and Technoblade.”

Tommy’s eyebrows furrowed. _Why just us?_ “Techno? Why—”

Wilbur cut him off with a gentle hushing. His voice was low and soothing. Just hearing his older brother made Tommy’s shoulders lose their tension. “Do you want some water?”

Tommy looked down at the cup and frowned slightly at the sight of Wilbur’s fingerless gloves and black finger nails. _Since when did Wil paint his nails?_

“Uh, sure. Where did you say we are?” Tommy asked as he took the cup and drank half of it, not realising how thirsty he was until he started drinking. _His throat hurt like a bitch_.

Wilbur let him finish before taking the cup and setting it on the chest before pushing Tommy to lay down gently. His hands were firm on Tommy’s shoulders and Tommy realised it was a lot harder than it should’ve been to struggle against it.

Tommy’s back hit the mattress and he let out a small grunt from his effort of trying to stay upright. His eyelids fluttered with a sudden wave of exhaustion and he tried to focus on Wil’s face.

“Wil? ‘m s’tired.” Tommy tried to move around so he could stay away but everything felt so _heavy_. Even the thought of trying to move his leg or twitch his finger seemed monumental so Tommy just laid with his head turned ever so slightly towards Wilbur.

“That’s okay, Toms. You rest easy.” Wilbur smiled down at him. It was a closed-mouth smile that seemed more like one you’d give a stranger than a brother.

Tommy shut his eyes and nodded tiredly, falling asleep with Wilbur adjusting the blankets to cover his shoulders. Wilbur sang softly under his breath, too quiet for Tommy to distinguish the words.

Technoblade was sitting up next to him the next time Tommy woke up. Tommy had a pounding in his head and it felt like there was a build-up of pressure behind his eyes. He let out a soft groan and pressed his hands against his face.

Techno looked down with a raised eyebrow, “You doin’ okay, there?”

“Techie, my head hurts.” Tommy mumbled, burrowing his head deeper into the pillows as if it would help. It felt a hammer was repeatedly hitting the inside of his skull while someone rammed a screw driver in the back of his eyes.

“Techie?” Techno repeated lightly. “That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.”

_Why’d he say Techie?_

Tommy scrunched his face in embarrassment, “Sorry—forget I said that, Techno. I’ve got a headache that hurts like a bitch.”

Techno snorted, “That’s something I’ve heard more recently.”

Tommy moved his fingers to glare at Techno without any real heat. As he did, he realised the room was different. The walls were lighter and this time he could see a painting hanging up on the wall on Techno’s side.

Tommy’s eyebrows furrowed and he looked down at the blanket to find it blue, rather than the white it had been before.

_When did they move?_

Tommy looked back up at Techno to see the elder looking at a book he was reading.

“Techno, where are we?”

He heard the floor creak as the house settled. Assuming they were in a house. The room had wood walls and wood floors and was fairly barren. It could’ve been a cabin for all Tommy knew.

Techno still didn’t look at him, but he let out a breath of amusement and the corner of his lip quirked upwards. There was an orange glow lining his profile from the torch on the bedside table. “Can’t you remember, Tommy? We took a vacation.”

Tommy’s gaze drifted downwards and he frowned as something uncomfortable settled in his stomach. _Had Wilbur told him where they were?_

“No, I know that, but where— _ow!”_ He reached a hand to the back of his neck but a different hand stopped him. He glanced backwards slowly and saw Wilbur behind him, smiling widely and injecting a syringe full of discoloured water into his neck.

Tommy gaped at the man. “Wil?” He asked dumbly.

“Just give it a sec, Tommy. We’re almost there.” Wilbur answered, pulling the needle out of Tommy’s neck, causing the younger to wince. Wilbur let go of his hand and Tommy pressed it lightly to the back of his neck.

Tommy looked back at Techno for some sort of explanation. _What was going on? Had they just…drugged him?_

“Guys?” Tommy asked, but his voice sounded far away and warped. Like he hadn’t spoken at all. No one answered him, so maybe he hadn’t. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth. And oddly dry. It hurt to try and swallow.

He swayed towards Techno, but it was Wilbur who caught him by the shoulders and lowered him back down onto the bed. “We have to keep you safe Tommy. Everything we do is to keep you safe.”

His eyelids fluttered before slipping shut, thrusting him into another haze of darkness.

_The fuck?_

Tommy jerked awake with a start. He bolted upright and immediately rolled over and threw up on the floor next to the bed. When he finished, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and used the other one to wipe his wet eyes.

 _Wilbur drugged me_ , was the first thought he had. The second was, _multiple times_.

Tommy shifted to the other side of the bed and pushed himself to stand up. He fell back on the bed only twice before managing to stand on shaking legs.

He looked at the door quickly before shuffling over to the chest by the bed. He opened it slowly with his teeth bared in worry. Something was horribly wrong here.

Wilbur and Techno were acting strange. They’d drugged him. Why?

Tommy saw a wooden sword and a stone shovel amongst broken sticks and various seeds. He picked up the shovel with a grimace, but adjusted his grip to using both hands.

He stood up and poised the shovel over his head, ready to attack if either of his “brothers” tried to drug him again.

As he stood up, he realised he was in sleep shorts and a baggy t-shirt that definitely wasn’t his. He took a moment to pull at it and wonder if it was Techno’s before he heard a floorboard creak outside of his door.

He jerked back into his defensive position and bent his knees. The floor was cold on his bare feet. The wood of the shovel handle was rough in his hands and heavy enough to make his arms shake. It made him wonder how long it’s been since he’s used his arms properly.

Wilbur opened the door, holding another cup of “water.”

Wilbur looked up and reared his head back with a startled laugh, “Whoa, Toms. What the fuck are you doing?” His eyes crinkled and his mouth was stretched into a condescending smile, as If they were kids again and he was indulging Tommy pulling a prank.

Tommy grit his teeth and tightened his fingers on the handle of the shovel. His knuckled turned white. “No—you tell me what’s going on! Where are we!? Why’d you fuckin’ drug me!?”

Wilbur shook his head and took a step forward, “What are you _talking_ about—”

“You know what I’m fucking talking about! You stuck a fuckin’ needle in my neck, you bastard!”

“Are you sure that’s what happened, Tommy?”

Tommy reared his head back and grit his teeth, “Of course—why else would I be here!?”

Wilbur took a step forward, “Don’t you remember, Toms? You begged us to take you on a vacation. You said you were so stressed that you needed a break, so we dropped everything to take care of you.” His voice was soothing and calm, as if he were talking to a child.

Tommy hated it.

“That’s _not_ what happened!”

“Oh, Toms,” Wilbur laughed. “You have such a bad memory.”

Tommy took a step backwards but pulled his shovel back to strike, forcing Wilbur to raise his free hand awkwardly with his eyebrows raised. “Don’t.” Tommy ordered harshly. “You know what I’m fucking talking about. Don’t play this—this _dumb_ act.”

Wilbur let out a laugh, “Tommy, I don’t know what the _fuck_ you’re talking about! You’ve just gone mental! _You_ asked us to come here!”

Tommy growled and swung his shovel at Wilbur’s head. His aim was horribly off; the shovel went over Wil’s head, but Wilbur still leaned back and almost fell from losing his footing. “Tommy, don’t—”

“No, Wilbur! Tell me what the fuck is going on! Why’re we here, where’s—” Tommy cut himself off and his eyes widened in horror.

_Holy fuck._

“Manburg. You were gonna—we—the election. You lost the election,” Tommy whispered. “We lost and,” he grabbed his head with one hand and let the other rest his shovel on his shoulder. His eyes screwed shut and he swayed. “They banished us—Schlatt. Schlatt banished us, we-we, who’s we? T-Technoblade? Why was Technoblade there?”

He dropped the shovel and grabbed his head with both hands. He squeezed his head as if that would help alleviate the pressure that was building up. He shifted his hands and pulled at his hair. It hurt but didn’t sting like he was hoping for.

 _What had Wilbur_ done _?_

“Tommy, I think you had a nightmare.”

Tommy’s body trembled as if he was cold. In a sense, he was. He didn’t feel warm and Wilbur wasn’t smiling anymore, so it felt ten degrees cooler than it had been. It was hard to breathe. _Why was it so hard to breathe?_

_Was this real? Hadn’t he just woken up? Was everything a nightmare?_

Tommy closed his eyes tightly to try and block out the way Wilbur was looking at him, but that just made him watch memories replay behind his closed eyelids. Eret had betrayed them. Tubbo joined Schlatt. Tommy had a duel with Dream. L’Manburg’s walls were hacked down. Everything was burning. The flames were bright and the smoke was thick and filling Tommy’s lungs. It was so hot and hard to breathe.

_No, it had to have been real. Otherwise, how would he know what a burning country smells like? What an arrow in the stomach feels like? What betrayal feels like? There was no way that was a dream—none of it._

There was a pinch on his arm and Tommy slowly looked down to see another fucking syringe in his arm. He looked up at Wilbur with his mouth hanging open dumbly, “Are you fucking serious? Drugging me again, bitch? As if the first…two times weren’t enough!?”

Wilbur gave a small smirk and held up the empty syringe next to his head. “Three.”

_That can’t be right._

Tommy tried to slap him. “Fuck you, bitch.”

 _Tommy remembered everything. It had only been two times. Wilbur was lying to him. He wasn’t sure why, but Wilbur_ had _to be lying. Tommy’s mind was the only thing trustworthy here. Of course, Wilbur was lying._

Wilbur snorted a laugh and caught Tommy when the younger’s arm swung past his head. Tommy tried to kick at him but when he raised his foot, his other leg gave out and he went falling to the floor.

Wilbur tugged Tommy upright to lean on him and Tommy hissed at the stress it put on his shoulder. “Fuckin’…bitch.” Tommy spat, before letting his eyes slip close as he was once again dragged into unconsciousness.

* * *

Tubbo was only barely holding it together. It’d been over a week since anyone had heard from Tommy. Or Wilbur or Techno for that matter.

Tubbo could still remember Tommy’s last message before the signal for Tommy’s communicator going offline.

“ _Tubbo, Wilbur has gone fucking insane. Dream gave him stacks of TNT and he’s going to blow up Manburg. He doesn’t care who’s there—he wants to burn it all down.” His voice was hushed and his breathing was heavy on the message, as if he’d been running. There was a rustling on the other side, then Tommy spoke again. “He’s changed, Tubbo. He’s always yelling and he’s angry all the time. I’m scared to go back. I hide in the mines, but he always finds me and drags me back to Pogtopia.”_ Something fell in the background _. “Shit—”_ Then static.

Tubbo hadn’t opened that message until two days after he received it. Tommy had been begging him to leave Manburg and stay with him in Pogtopia.

Recently, all of Tommy’s messages have been a repeat of, “Tubbo, can you come visit?” or “Hey, Big T! When’re you comin’ by?”

But frankly, Tubbo didn’t feel safe there. It wasn’t like him and Tommy running around having fun, with Wilbur somewhere in the background telling them to behave but not really caring.

Now it felt tense.

 _Tommy was right, something is wrong with Wilbur_.

Wilbur didn’t smile anymore. At least not at Tubbo. Wilbur stared at him frequently and Tubbo tried to ignore it but it was a constant presence at the back of his head.

Tubbo started visiting less and stopped responding to Tommy as frequently, but now he was wishing he hadn’t abandoned his friend.

Tubbo ran through the tunnels under Manburg and went for Pogtopia. If he had to convince Wilbur that he wasn’t a traitor by staying forever, Tubbo would. But he couldn’t abandon Tommy. Not now.

 _Not again_.

Tubbo looked around when he finally reached the ground area of Pogtopia. He had to light the lanterns as he walked around. They were burnt out and cold.

“Tommy?” He called out, trying to steady his voice.

He shouldn’t have waited so long to come.

The chests were empty and everything was _cold_. The furnaces weren’t warm, meaning they’d been off a while. Feeling the chilled stone on his finger made Tubbo recoil sharply. Even when he moved his hand, the frost feeling lingered and made his stomach sink lower.

None of the torches were lit. Half of them were missing. The ones left and been burned down to the nub, and even then it was a charred mess that crumbled when Tubbo tried to pick on up.

Pogtopia was deserted.

Tubbo tried not to panic as he shuffled down the stairs. He inched forward slowly because he’d fallen down before, and while it had been funny when Tommy was here, now Tubbo didn’t want to risk breaking a leg. _Where could they have gone? Would Tommy really leave without saying goodbye?_

Tubbo ran up the stairs to the top-level entrance of Pogtopia. His throat was dry and his chest was heaving by the time he got there. His thighs burned from taking the steps two at a time.

The first thing he noticed was that the bed was gone. As was the ender chest.

A quick check showed the other chest was barren aside from dirt and Tommy’s smashed communicator.

“Shit.” He whispered breathlessly. “This is not good.”

* * *

Tommy hated living with Wilbur and Technoblade, he decided shortly after waking up and staying awake. They forced him to join in on “family dinners.”

Which was basically them all eating at the table while Wilbur and Technoblade talked to each other and ignored Tommy until the younger was done.

The first family dinner, they had potatoes. Tommy was still dizzy from just waking up, so he got to sit by himself across from Wilbur and adjacent to Techno. His head felt like it was spinning and it looked like the room was swaying slightly.

“Take me home.” Tommy ordered with no energy for any real heat behind it.

“Tommy, no one cares about you there.”

Tommy bared his teeth at them and tried not to slouch. “Fuck you, they do!”

Wilbur laughed harshly, “Yeah? Where are they? We told them we were taking you on a trip in the north woods. No one cared too much.”

Tommy frowned and looked down at his plate.

It was hard to cut his food, so Wilbur did it for him, with a sickeningly indulgent smile, “Don’t worry, Tommy. I didn’t expect you to be able to do this. That’s why we’re here.”

Techno hummed an agreement and sipped from his cup. Tommy was hunched over so he couldn’t see what was in his cup, and he didn’t care enough to look.

 _His probably isn’t drugged,_ he thought bitterly, rubbing his hands together in-between his knees.

“What would you do without us, Tommy?” Wilbur joked, ignoring how viciously Tommy glared at him with still glazed eyes.

Techno snorted, “Starve probably.”

 _I wish I could starve now. Better than whatever the fuck this is_.

Wilbur huffed out a laugh and Tommy cursed at them. “Fuck you, I don’t need your help.”

“Tommy, you couldn’t get out of bed without our help. You’d literally die without us.”

Tommy knew it would be pointless to argue to he pursed his lips tightly and glared at the table. Tommy muttered to himself about his independency and they either didn’t hear him—which was unlikely for Techno—or ignored him.

They did that a lot. Ignoring him, that is.

They ignored when Tommy told them off for babying him or when Tommy tried to assert his self-sufficiency.

Tommy crossed his arms on the table and ran his tongue along the inside of his teeth, thinking of how to escape.

 _They’re always nearby. Why don’t they every fucking leave? Clingy bitches_.

His eyes darted to the silverware and noted that it was metal. It was no sword, but a metal knife—or fork, for that matter—was better than wood.

_Could stab ‘em right in the fuckin’ eye. Shove it in and run for the door._

Wilbur was about to slide Tommy’s plate back to him, but stopped with his hand on the side of it. “What do we say?”

“Fuck you.” Tommy spat, hunching his shoulders and glaring. He wasn’t going the thank them for kidnapping him and then acting like decent fucking human beings and feeding him. He’d much rather starve, _thank you very much._

“Tommy,” Wilbur warned in a parental voice. “That’s not anyway to talk to someone who saved your ass. Do you know how much trouble it was to get you here?”

“Fuck you, _bitch_.”

“Just say thank you and move on. It ain’t that hard,” Technoblade chirped from beside him.

Tommy stuck his jaw out and stayed silent, letting his leg bounce as a way to let out steam. The action was draining and quickly made his thigh burn, but it kept Tommy’s tongue in check so he continued to softly tap his foot.

“Tommy, we just want what’s best for you.” Wilbur said with a placating smile. If he hadn’t drugged Tommy, Tommy would’ve assumed Wilbur had snapped back to normal. His eyes were squinted from his smile, back in Pogtopia, Wilbur’s eyes had always been wide and wild, darting around every few seconds for enemies that weren’t there.

Tommy felt sick at the tiny thought in the back of his head that wondered if it really would be better here.

_It’s not going to be better. Even if it is, they kidnapped me. They’ve hurt me before and they’ll do it again._

And it was true. Wilbur had blocked Tommy in a hole, knowing Tommy was claustrophobic.

Techno had countlessly fought with Tommy and gone excessively hard.

Wilbur threw plates at him.

_It was only a matter of time here._

Tommy glared, “And that’s why you fuckin’ drugged me?”

Wilbur rolled his eyes, “You’re being dramatic Tommy.”

“No, Wilbur! You fuckin’ drugged me against me will and this is a normal response!” Tommy didn’t notice his voice raising.

“Toms, it wasn’t that serious. There’s no need to act all,” he gestured at Tommy, who was staring at Wilbur with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows and his mouth hanging open, “crazy.”

“Crazy—crazy!? Fuck you—you drugged me!”

“Tommy, stop yelling.”

Tommy felt the frustration bubble in his chest. No matter what he said, they didn’t rise to the bait. Techno watched in silence as if they were fighting over who had to do the dishes. Wilbur was acting so _calm_ and _patient_.

Tommy’s chest got tight when he realised, they weren’t listening to him. They still weren’t answering or explaining anything.

“You—fucking…” Tommy struggled to find words with how furious he was.

“What do you want me to do, apologise for keeping you safe? Do you want to eat Tommy?”

Wilbur’s voice got lighter with the second question, but he looked at Tommy sternly. The smile on Wilbur’s face was _wrong_. It stretched wide but showed no teeth. His eyes were squinted but focused on Tommy.

Quite frankly, Tommy would rather go back to his stupid fucking room and sleep, hopefully waking up back in L’Manberg before everything went to shit. His stomach clenched painfully enough for Tommy to notice and Tommy looked away from Wilbur with a frown.

_What was the point in arguing if they didn’t listen?_

“Yes.” Tommy bit out.

Techno continued eating, but Tommy knew he was avidly watching their dispute. As if this whole thing was a stupid argument.

“What do we say when someone does something nice for us?”

Tommy wanted to say, _Gee, Wil. Thanks for fucking kidnapping me and dragging me away from the one place I felt safe in. I’m so fuckin’ glad you drugged me._

But he _was_ very hungry.

“Thank you.” He pretended like he was answering Wil’s question, rather than thanking the man himself. Tommy’s stomach clenched uncomfortably and after Tommy had a mini stare-down with Wilbur—Wil wanting a detailed thanks and Tommy not wanting to go any farther—Tommy realised he didn’t feel safe with Wilbur.

 _Hadn’t for a while_.

Wilbur was treating Tommy like a child. For all his arguing, Tommy understood that to some, he was a child. He was sixteen for Christ’s sake. But Wil had never treated him like this before. Even when they lived with Philza, Wilbur had encouraged Tommy to loosen up and feel comfortable enough to not say please and thank you after every request.

_Why is he doing it now?_

Wilbur’s lips quirked up and he let out a loud sigh. “Ah, we’ll have to work on better manners another time!” And with that, he pushed Tommy’s plate across the table until the younger could reach it himself.

Tommy felt like he’d won an empty victory. Sure, Wilbur caved first, but Tommy _did_ thank Wilbur for cutting his food after drugging him.

_Fuck you bitch, my manners are great when they’re deserved._

Tommy slid the plate closer to himself and lightly squeezed the edge.

 _Not glass_. _Damn it_.

The stupid plate was wooden. Sure, he could knock it over one of their heads, but it wouldn’t be as effective as a glass plate shattering.

Not to mention, there’d be a lack of dramatics.

Tommy picked up his fork and thumbed at the metal of the handle. It was warm from Wilbur holding it.

Tommy glanced down and saw Techno’s fist curled loosely on the table. Close enough for Tommy to reach.

 _To stab it_.

He could picture it in his mind: sinking a fork into the flesh of Techno’s hand. Blood would well up if Tommy’s yanked the fork out, or it would pool beneath Techno’s hand if Tommy left it in.

He could almost hear Wilbur’s choked noise of shock and Techno’s shout of startled pain.

Tommy started to shiver and tried to force his body to stop. Wilbur looked up and him and covered his mouth with the back of his finger while he chewed. “Tommy, you haven’t touched your food.”

Techno looked at him, “Yeah. I put’a lotta work into that. You should be grateful, brat.”

Tommy spent an extra second staring at Techno out of the corner of his eye before looking down at his plate with a frown and shifting the cut-up potato slices around.

_Why didn’t they just make mashed potatoes? Who the hell eats cut-up potatoes?_

“’m not that hungry.”

“Tommy, you just said you wanted to eat and now you’re not hungry?

_Could he really stab Techno? He did punch him in the throat, but…that had been to get away. Could he even get away now? He didn’t know where they were or what was outside._

_Where would he even go?_

_They…they were just trying to protect him, right? They were going about it all wrong, but…they’re intentions were good, weren’t they?_

“Tommy, we work hard to take care of you. The least you could do is eat what we make.”

Tommy let out a soft sigh and stabbing a forkful of potatoes and holding it eye level before dropping it back onto the plate.

This whole thing was fucking stupid. If they had to go through so much trouble for Tommy, why didn’t they just leave him behind?

He hunkered down and settled himself for playing with his food until someone finished eating and he could go back to bed.

Wilbur seemed to disagree with that plan.

“Tommy, you need to eat. You’ve been asleep for days.”

Tommy scoffed, “As if that’s my fault.”

“Tommy.” Techno warned from next to him. He looked at Tommy out of the corner of his eye.

Tommy felt a headache coming on at trying to suppress his tears. Sure, Technoblade had always been closer to Wilbur, but Tommy would’ve never thought Techno would be on Wilbur’s side during the war.

 _Tommy_ had called Technoblade for help. It was _Tommy’s_ fault that Technoblade was here.

 _God_ , why hadn’t he realised just how much of an anarchist Techno was?

Tommy glanced at him before glaring back at his food. “How do I know you didn’t drug this too?”

“Tommy, don’t be ridiculous.”

It was Wilbur who’d spoken. He made it sound as if Tommy was crazy for thinking that. As if Wilbur hadn’t drugged his drink before.

Tommy clenched his teeth and stared blankly at his food.

His potatoes were a disgusting mix of white and yellow and Tommy wished he had said he didn’t want to eat.

_Starving couldn’t be worse than this._

“Tommy, you need to eat. Don’t be so ungrateful just because we can’t cook you a five-course meal.”

Tommy pushed his plate away pointedly but kept his fork in his hand and laid his head on his arms face down.

 _Fuck them_.

If they were going to treat him like a baby, he sure as hell could act like one.

He wasn’t eager to go back to his room. Not that it felt like his room. But he didn’t want to stay here either, with Wilbur and Technoblade staring at him and talking as if he wasn’t there.

As if he couldn’t hear them.

He tried to tune them out.

* * *

Surprisingly enough, it only took two weeks after getting to the “safehouse” for Tommy to be able to roam the house unaccompanied.

Granted, that first week was hell for everyone.

Tommy yelling at them to let him shit in private and them hovering nearby every time he stood up.

Tommy was escorted to take a _piss_ , for Christ’s sake.

Eventually, though Tommy couldn’t confidently say how long they’d been there, they backed off.

_There couldn’t be one of them around all of the time._

He was walking down the hall when he heard Techno in the living room, sharpening his axe or sword.

There was a steady sound of diamond scraping on smooth stone.

Techno always liked to maintain his weapons manually.

He methodically took his time running his blade over a special stone. It was a slow sound, getting higher at the end as Techno finished off with the tip of his blade and pulled it off the stone.

It was accompanied by the sound of the house creaking. Wherever they were, it was windy. The wind outside rattled the board on the windows and made a whistling noise through the chimney.

(Tommy once thought about using the chimney to escape. If Santa Claus could fit through, surely, he could. Then Tommy remembered a story Wilbur used to tell him about a dad trying to surprise his children, who climbed down the chimney but accidentally snapped his neck on the way down and died before anyone realised. With a shudder, Tommy decided not to try and escape using the chimney.)

When Tommy was younger, he’d hear the rhythmic sound of Techno sharpening his weapons while Phil and Wilbur were talking in the kitchen. It would often lull Tommy to sleep.

Now, with Wilbur gone to fetch more resources and the house absent of Phil, it felt eerie.

Not for the first time, Tommy looked at the windows with boards on the outside of them. At the very least he could smash a window and use the shards as a weapon. Wilbur and Techno often took off their armour as soon as they were inside.

It was no diamond sword, but he could make do.

 _As if_.

Like every other time, Tommy shuffled passed the window and into his room. He shut the door and laid on his bed and closed his eyes.

He could still hear Techno sharpening his blade. He listened to it as he fell asleep.

* * *

Tubbo spent every spare moment he had into trying to find Tommy. It was getting harder to focus when all of his thoughts were spent on what could’ve happened to Tommy and if Wilbur was a part of Tommy’s disappearance.

Which, he probably was.

Tubbo still worked for Schlatt, so he didn’t have a lot of free time. Schlatt had him designing new building projects and planning public activities to get everyone out of the dark mindset that had blanketed Manburg during the wars.

So, a lot of Tubbo’s time was devoted to half-hearted planning and attending meetings while not being all there.

As soon as Schlatt dismissed him, Tubbo ran to his house to change out of his tight, stuffy suit and yank on his looser jeans and a green, button-up shirt. He rolled the sleeves up and packed his backpack with healing potions, torches, and extra food.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he grabbed his diamond axe and pick-axe. He strapped his shield to his arm and went out into the forest as the light from the sky dimmed. It was always scary going out at night alone, but over the past few weeks, Tubbo had gotten better at controlling how much his hands shook and forcing his body to press on instead of turning back.

There were constant noises around him. A growl from a zombie, the rattling of a skeleton, the hissing from spiders.

It made Tubbo shiver uncontrollably, but he couldn’t stop searching for Tommy.

For two weeks, he spent most of his nights trekking through the woods and fields, hoping to find some sign of Tommy or Wilbur. He never looked for signs of Technoblade, because he knew the pig-man wouldn’t leave any. Not if he didn’t want to be found.

It was hard to find time for sleep. Between raising morale in Manburg and discretely looking for Tommy, Tubbo got three hours a sleep every twenty-four hours. If he was lucky.

His daytime work started suffering. He spaced out more frequently and nearly fell asleep five times in one meeting.

Quackity was the first to call him out on it. “Hey, Tubbo, are you doin’ okay?”

Tubbo jerked out of his daydream-haze and looked up at Quackity. Tubbo didn’t know how to answer.

No, he wasn’t okay.

_How is it not obvious that nothing is okay!? Tommy is missing_ , but Tubbo very well couldn’t tell anyone or ask for help because Tommy was enemy of the state number two and if Tubbo asked Schlatt for help, he’d sooner call Tubbo a traitor than offer any support.

Quackity placed a heavy and on Tubbo’s shoulder, causing the younger to flinch violently. Quackity offered a stilted smile, “What’s wrong?”

Tubbo wasn’t sure when he began holding his breath, but all of a sudden, he was stuttering out sobs, his chest was tight, and he couldn’t _breathe_.

“Shit—somebody help!” Quackity called, squatting down to make better eye contact with Tubbo from where the younger was sitting.

Quackity tried to make eye contact with Tubbo, but it was clear Tubbo wasn’t seeing whatever was in front of him. Quackity looked around him, helplessly wishing someone would tell him what to do.

“What’s the issue, here?” Schlatt drawled from the doorway, before spotting Tubbo and dropping the act. “Whoa—what’s going on, did you break Tubbo?” He moved to stand behind Quackity, but Tubbo couldn’t take his eyes off the ground long enough to notice.

“I don’t know! He’s been acting off, for… _weeks_. I just—I asked if everything was okay, but, y’know, _clearly_ it’s not.”

Schlatt bent down to try and catch Tubbo’s gaze, “Hey, Tubbo. What’s—ah—What’s wrong, buddy?”

Tubbo wrapped his arms around himself and shook his head. He couldn’t tell Schlatt, Schlatt _hated_ Wilbur and Tommy. Even though Schlatt had been decent, and even borderline _nice_ to Tubbo, Schlatt would just say “good riddance” to Tommy disappearing.

 _No_. Tubbo could not tell JSchlatt what was wrong.

He forced his head up and saw Schlatt looking at him with an awkward frown. Tubbo moved a hand to cover his mouth so he didn’t blurt everything out.

“Big Q, go get Niki.” Schlatt ordered quietly.

Quackity nearly jumped up with how thankful he was to do something useful.

The two traded places; Schlatt knelt before Tubbo and Quackity stood up, staring at the two before running out of the room to find Niki.

Schlatt’s hands hovered awkwardly around Tubbo and he looked around for someone to magically appear and either handle the situation or tell him how to make it better. He really wasn’t the best at comforting people, or handling negative emotions. Was he suppose to hug the kid? Give him space?

“Tubbo, it’s going to be alright. Niki’s on her way, just calm down.”

Tubbo shook his head vigorously and started rocking himself. _Nothing is going to be alright. Tommy’s still missing and no one can help him._

Schlatt grimaced and wiped his hands on his pants. Tubbo _had_ been off for weeks. He’d been stumbling more and talking less. There were bags under his eyes and Schlatt wasn’t 100% confident that Tubbo was eating regularly.

It probably had something to do with Tommy.

Sure, the kid was an obnoxious little weasel, but that’s all he was: a _kid_. Maybe Schlatt took it too far in banning Tommy from Manburg, the place he’d fought for and won freedom for, but it seemed funny at the time.

 _Funny_.

Now it just seemed cruel.

“Is—” He stopped himself from talking and looked down while swallowing. _Jesus, he’s a coward_.

Within ten minutes, Quackity came back with Niki and the blond did not hesitate to run towards Tubbo and pull him into a hug.

Tubbo let himself cry openly as he buried his head into Niki’s shoulder and hold onto her tightly as if she’d disappear too.

Niki pet the back of his head gently and closed her eyes, trying not to cry with him. Tubbo was so sweet, it was hard not to empathise with him, but she needed to be strong.

After a while of silence mixed with Tubbo’s crying, Niki looked down at the back of Tubbo’s head and spoke. “Tubbo, what’s happened?”

He didn’t move other than to shake his head as he tightened his arms around her.

“Is this about Tommy?” She whispered, chancing a glance over her shoulder to see Quackity and Schlatt hovering nearby, unsure what they were meant to do. She had noticed the radio silence from Tommy, but there were a few communal messages from Wil and Techno about various achievements made.

Tubbo gave a soft nod and Niki frowned.

She bodily turned around, gently pulling Tubbo off of her and moving to shield him with herself. She pulled out a diamond sword and let it hang by her side as a warning. “Can we trust you?”

“Does this have anything to do with Tommy?” Quackity asked.

No one answered, which was answer enough.

“You can trust us.” Schlatt said. He put his hands behind his back so no one could see them shaking. “You can trust me.”

Niki and Schlatt locked eyes, but Schlatt didn’t waver. Niki turned her head and scanned Quackity’s face before putting away her sword and stepping to the side to let Tubbo talk.

“Tubbo, what happened?”

Tubbo’s breathing stuttered. “Tommy’s gone. Wilbur’s gone—Technoblade’s gone too, they all just left and,” he heaved a sob and failed at breathing in three times before his chest swelled successfully, “Tommy left me a message. Almost three weeks ago, that said how Wilbur’s basically lost it and was gonna blow up Manburg and how much he’s changed and then something happened and the line went dead.

“Then Tommy didn’t reply to my messages or calls and when I went to Pogtopia it was deserted and everything was missing and I found Tommy’s communicator smashed in a chest and it’s been two weeks, but it could’ve been longer and I don’t know where they’ve taken him but I know Dream gave Wilbur the TNT and I couldn’t ask anyone for help—so I’ve been going out at night to try and find him but I _can’t_ and I can’t ask anyone for help, no one will help me so I’ve got to find Tommy myself but I _can’t_ —”

“Tubbo!” Niki interrupted, putting her hands on his shoulders before gently cupping the younger boys face.

He looked up with wide eyes as tears dripped down his cheeks and his chest heaved to catch his breath. Niki gently moved her thumb and the two stayed like that until Tubbo gave a slight nod and Niki moved her hands to rub his arms encouragingly. After a moment, he whispered, “I think they took him.”

“Who?” Schlatt asked, with his arms crossed over his chest but his posture lax and open.

Tubbo looked at him in the eye before looking back at the ground, “Techno and Wilbur. You guys haven’t seen Wilbur recently—he really _has_ lost it. He yells and…I think he hurts Tommy. There’s broken things _everywhere_. He’s changed, Niki.” He looked up at Niki and saw her eyes welling up. “He’s not the same, he doesn’t—he’s _terrifying_. Tommy told me he was scared. And I didn’t answer his fucking message for two days because _I_ was scared!”

“Tubbo,” Nikki’s face looked so fucking sad and pitiful, Tubbo wanted to be sick, “It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault.”

“I didn’t answer him—I _abandoned_ him, Niki.” Tubbo whispered, his bottom lip wobbling.

Niki swallowed and let out a disheartened sigh, “Yes, but…you’re just a kid, Tubbo. You and Tommy both—none of this should’ve happened to you.”

Tubbo looked down and picked at the hem of his shirt. He looked up when Schlatt spoke.

“She’s right. You two never should’ve fought in that war and Tommy should’ve never been in that election.” He glanced around the room and took in the open shock of everyone around him. He closed his eyes but pressed on. “It was… _wrong_ of me. To ban Tommy. I’m so—”

Tubbo had launched himself at Schlatt and held onto the man as his shoulders shook. Schlatt carefully wiggled his arms out and gently held onto Tubbo.

“We’ll find Tommy. I promise.”

* * *

The dinners were always the same in the safe-house. Tommy was calling it the safe-house even though he didn’t really feel safe. It was more like a bunker, but since they were clearly in a log cabin, that felt wrong too. A bunker sounded at least a little bit cool.

The safe-house was dull.

 _Boring_.

 _Overbearing_.

 _Fucking awful_.

Wilbur and Techno would carefully watch Tommy as if the younger couldn’t see them staring at him throughout mealtime. Even when they were looking down to eat, Tommy felt like he was being watched.

_Stop staring._

_Leave me alone_.

Techno was less conspicuous because of his mask. Those white eyes could be looking at anything.

 _Shit mask with fucking ghost eyes_.

Wilbur was more obvious and less ashamed. He openly watched Tommy with that creepy smile on his face as the younger picked at his food.

 _Shameless arse_.

“Can I go home?” Tommy asked, his voice flat. He anticipated the disappointment from Wilbur.

“Toms, when are we going to move past this!? No one is looking for you! They’ve moved on, why can’t you?”

Tommy pursed his lips and looked down so he could roll his eyes without being seen. “Tubbo’s looking for me,” he mumbled.

“What was that?” Wilbur asked, with an edge to his voice.

Tommy stuck his jaw out and forced himself to look up at Wilbur. “Tubbo is looking for me!”

Wilbur slammed his fist on the table, making the dishes rattle and a fork fall to the ground. Tommy backed down quickly and dropped his gaze to his hands. Wilbur was unpredictable, had been since the banishment.

“Tubbo isn’t looking. He spent less than a day looking for you before he figured you ran away!” Wilbur declared.

Tommy bit his cheek to stop himself from talking. It would only result in a screaming match that he would lose. Tommy stayed quiet and Wilbur slowly deflated until he was back to “normal.” Tommy picked at his food with a vague feeling of loss.

Tommy ate as little as possible to limit the drugging that could happen. He tried to eat no more than twice a day, and no more than half of whatever was on his plate. At least then, the level of drugs in his system would be lowered.

Plus, no matter how many times Wilbur tried to make him eat more, they couldn’t force feed him. He could control what he ate and how much of it. Although being with them at dinner stressed him out, and the possibility of them drugging him made his stomach roll; he felt calmer when he decided to stop eating because _he_ decided when to stop eating.

He was hungry constantly for a while. He could feel his stomach rumble, but it was never loud enough for Techno to hear.

 _Thank fucking god for that_.

The last thing Tommy needed was for Techno to know Tommy was essentially starving himself. Tommy wasn’t sure what they would do, but it would probably be violating.

After a while of doing less activity and staying on his strict “diet plan,” he stopped being hungry.

Eventually, Tommy got a knife at meal times, and while he had thought about using it, he never did. Other than to cut his steak or chicken.

He realised it would be pointless unless he aimed to kill, and he wasn’t mentally ready to kill his brothers.

He probably never would be.

The most he’d be able to do was get in a few stabs to the arms and hands—legs if he was lucky. But there were two of them. And they were much older than him. And one of them was _Technoblade_.

It was hard to remember these two as the ones who had found him when he was younger. Took him to Phil and adopted him into the family.

How was this the same Wilbur who’d stayed with him when he woke up from nightmares?

How was this the same Technoblade who helped teach him how to plant his feet in fights.

 _They seem like completely different people now_.

Tommy wondered if Phil even knew what had happened, as he cut his steak with the knife and set on down on the tables so he wouldn’t do anything impulsive.

A voice in his head called him weak.

He tried to convince himself he’s being smart.

 _Cautious_.

* * *

A month had passed and still no sign of Tommy or Wilbur.

Technoblade was still considered a god among men, so no one bothered trying to track him.

As if that wasn’t worrying enough, most of Manburg was out searching for them. Sapnap and George were trying to locate Dream and find out if he knew anything about Tommy’s whereabouts. Not to mention, why the man had thought giving Wilbur TNT was a good idea.

Schlatt was sitting on a wooden chair by a hospital bed where Tubbo was recovering.

Badboyhalo took one look at Tubbo before demanding immediate bedrest for at least two days. Preferably four, but Bad had always been soft.

Tubbo’s body rested, but the boy himself rarely slept. He stared at the wall in front of him dully.

Schlatt rubbed his hands down his face. They were running themselves ragged and they were no closer to find Tommy than Tubbo had been on his own.

 _Why did he have to be taken by goddamn_ Technoblade?

“Tubbo, what are you thinking?”

Tubbo didn’t respond. He rarely did these days. He was distant and quiet and it unnerved everyone. This was _Tubbo_. He wasn’t supposed to be so lifeless and sad. It was honestly heart-breaking, even to Schlatt, to watch Tubbo deteriorate so quickly as more time passed with no Tommy.

Schlatt felt his bones drag him down when he sighed. He hunched his shoulders in and rolled his head in an attempt to loosen the tension around his neck. “Is there someone we can call? Maybe a—a family member?”

It was a long shot. Most people on the SMP didn’t have family, that’s why they were here. Or they made their families here. Like how Wilbur adopted Fundy.

Tubbo’s eyes widened and he pushed himself up quickly with his hands flat on the bed. “Holy shit!”

Schlatt nearly fell out of his chair with how startled he was at Tubbo actually speaking and the volume at which he spoke.

Tubbo looked at him with his mouth gaping, “How could I forget? I need my communicator, now.”

Tubbo wasn’t exactly forbidden from accessing his communicator, but it was heavily agreed that he shouldn’t have constant contact with it. He was obsessed with checking every update on the chance of it being about Tommy. With Tubbo being in the infirmary, Bad took it upon himself to take the communicator away.

Schlatt pushed himself out of his chair and took long strides to the cabinet Tubbo’s comm was being kept in. He rushed to get it to Tubbo before standing bedside awkwardly and scratching the back of his head, “What’d you forget, exactly?”

Tubbo laughed shortly for the first time in a while, “Not a what, a _who!_ Philza! Tommy, Wil, and Techno’s dad! I completely forgot!”

Schlatt’s brain halted for a moment. He blinked then his face scrunched up, “Wait, they’re actually _brothers?”_

Tubbo gave a distracted nod before looking up with a dimmed smile. “Did Wilbur never tell you?”

Schlatt sputtered, “Well—I mean—Of course—but I thought it was, like— _symbolic_ or some shit!”

Why would Schlatt have thought Wilbur was _serious?_ The two looked nothing alike and Wilbur had only said _like_ a brother. As in, “You should meet Tommy. He’s like a brother to me.” Of course, the joke was that Tommy _was_ his brother.

In hindsight, Schlatt should’ve put two-and-two together that they were real siblings. It wasn’t uncommon to have a found family, but it was rare for it to be official. Most of the time, it wasn’t worth the effort.

“No!” Tubbo shook his head with a smile, “Wilbur and Techno found Tommy and took him to their dad!” Tubbo’s eyes looked sunken in and there was a hollowness to his cheeks that made him look tired, even when he was happy.

“They _found_ _him—”_ Schlatt began, before cutting himself off.

“Philza!” Tubbo interrupted with an excited yell. He’d been anxiously tapping the bedsheets but halted all movement when his call connected through.

There was a muffled voice on the other end. “ _Hello? Who is this, I’m’a bit busy—”_

“It’s Tubbo! I’m a friend of Tommy—” Tubbo’s smile fell quickly. “Tommy.” His voice lowered and Schlatt looked down at how quickly Tubbo’s mood dropped.

It seemed like for a moment, Tubbo was so focused on reminiscing that he forgot why they were calling Philza in the first place.

The boy’s shoulders dropped and his head lowered. Schlatt liked to think of himself as heartless, but anyone who could resist feeling bad for Tubbo was truly evil. The kid looked so fucking sad with his big eyes and frown.

_Fuck, he was getting soft._

“ _Oh, is something wrong?”_

Tubbo looked like a dear caught in headlights. He stuttered out a few syllables before just opening and closing his mouth, so Schlatt took over. Schlatt dutifully ignored how much Tubbo’s hands shook as he passed over his communicator.

 _God_ , Schlatt thought again. He wasn’t sure how Tubbo was coping with being on his own. It was supposed to be Tubbo and Tommy, not Tubbo and Tommy’s _missing_.

“Hi, is this, uh, Phil—Philza? Tommy’s…dad?”

There was a heavy sigh, _“What’s he done now?”_

Schlatt let out a choked laugh and Tubbo covered his mouth with both hands as his eyes started to burn.

“No, uh. He’s—” Schlatt wasn’t expecting his voice to get raspy as a stone sunk in his stomach. “I’m JSchlatt.” He started. He looked around the room, glad no one else was there aside from Tubbo. Rows of beds neatly made with pristine white sheets. Tubbo’s blanket was green because Bad had a soft spot for, well, everyone actually. But especially kids and especially Tubbo.

So, even though he hadn’t asked, Tubbo had gotten his own blanket.

“ _Okay? Nice ta meet ya? Is something going on?”_ Philza’s voice crackled from the other end. Schlatt could hear the occasional screech from a ghast. He realised belatedly that Philza had to be in the Nether. If their connection broke, Schlatt would personally kill Wilbur ad Technoblade after dragging Tommy to a hospital bed and strapping him in if need be.

“Right—uh, sir. I’m s-sorry,” Schlatt’s face got hot as his voice gave out. He pressed the back of his hand to his mouth and turned so Tubbo couldn’t see him. Schlatt shifted his weight.

“ _Did something happen? Where’s Tommy—I thought he was with Wilbur, that’s his older brother—”_

“Sir, when was the last time you spoke with Wilbur?”

There was silence for a long time. Then, Philza responded quietly, “ _It’s been a few months. Why?”_

Schlatt bit the inside of his cheek. He could hear _something_ in Philza’s voice when he admitted how long it’d been since he talked to his son. It wasn’t quite shame, but it was a close thing.

“Tommy—Tommy’s missing. For a, uh, month now—” Philza quickly cut him off.

“ _A month!? Where’s Wilbur—have you heard from Technoblade? He’s my other son, surely he can find Tommy!”_

Schlatt bit his lip and looked at the ceiling before continuing, “We think they kidnapped Tommy. Your son, Wilbur, was planning to, uh, bomb Manburg—our nation, and…last we’ve heard, Technoblade is with him.”

Schlatt didn’t sign up for this. He didn’t become president to call a sixteen-year-old’s father and tell him that his son was missing. That Schlatt had exiled him and left him to the wilderness with his mentally unstable brother.

“ _No, that can’t be right. Wilbur sings he doesn’t—destroy things!”_

There was a tap on Schlatt’s back and he turned to see Tubbo standing behind him, with an arm out silently asking for the communicator.

Schlatt handed the communicator over quickly and turned around so Tubbo couldn’t see how close he was to losing it. Being president should not include telling a man that his son was kidnapped by his other sons. _That’s secretary of state shit_.

“Hi, it’s Tubbo again. Um—Wilbur’s changed.”

“ _No, he wouldn’t just—bomb a country for no reason!_ ”

“Well, there’s a lotta backstory you’re missing. There was a war, with Wilbur leading the rebellion and Tommy as his right-hand man, then there was an election that Wilbur lost and they got exiled and there were a lot of betrayals that made Wilbur really paranoid. He’s kinda lost it.”

There was a rustling on the other end followed by, “ _No. It can’t be my son, he’d never drag Tommy into a war like that.”_

Schlatt turned slightly to see how Tubbo would react. Tubbo’s face was blotchy and Schlatt could hear Tubbo struggling to breathe through his nose with how stopped up it was. But Tubbo wasn’t crying.

His eyes were shiny and his chest stuttered with each breath, but he didn’t look sad. He looked _furious_.

Tubbo’s eyebrows were drawn down and together and his eyes were narrowed. Schlatt had never seen Tubbo angry, but _shit_ , was it horrifying.

Schlatt handed the communicator over quickly and took a step back. No way in hell was he getting too close to _that._

Tubbo glared at the wall. “Wilbur Soot, he’s got brown hair and he wears a beanie! He found Tommy fighting a hoard of zombies in the woods when he was eleven and _you_ took him in!”

Schlatt turned around to see Tubbo standing steady and tall.

This was a kid who’d been dragged into war and watched his best friend get banned from a country he helped build. He had seen destruction and the devil himself.

And he would be _damned_ if he didn’t come back stronger.

“Where are you?” Philza asked.

* * *

Despite popular belief, Schlatt had shit to do. He didn’t just sit around his office and suck his thumb.

He had plans for Manburg. Granted, plans had changed since he’d re-evaluated what he was supposed to stand for, and decided that, no, exiling a child was not something he would stand for.

Now he was working on a legal system that would help set parameters for when someone committed Treason.

Rather than banning everyone, their case would be reviewed by a small committee. The person’s upbringing would be taken into account, as well as age, mental stability, and past misdeeds.

He was in the middle of writing up a doctrine when Quackity burst in the doors, panting heavily and leaning on the double doors to Schlatt’s office.

Schlatt jolted upon his arrival and looked up. “What’s happening?”

Quackity wheezed as he tried to catch his breath. It took four tries before he was able to say, “We got him.”

Schlatt stood up carefully and placed his hands flat on the desk, “You found Tommy?” He clarified.

Quackity pursed his lips and shook his head minutely. “No. Sorry.”

Schlatt grimaced but nodded, looking back at his desk as he struggled to find what to say. Three months was a long fucking time for a kid to be missing.

Schlatt would never say this out loud, he scarcely could admit it to himself, but he did wonder if there even was a Tommy left for them to find.

From what Tubbo had said, Wilbur went crazy and had copious amounts of TNT. Who’s to say that little shit hadn’t pulled a kamikaze and took his brothers down with him?

_Yes, alright he knew there were no planes. The point is still valid._

“We found Dream.”

Schlatt looked up sharply and saw Quackity with a small smile on his face as he nodded, “Yea. We got the big man.”

Schlatt moved around his desk and nodded for Quackity to lead the way as the two began speed walking their way to wherever Dream was being held. “Why the hell am I only just now hearing about this?”

Quackity huffed a laugh, “Because George literally _just_ told me. All anyone has had time to do was check Dream for weapons and lock him in a cell.”

Schlatt frowned and put his hand in his pocket, “Bet George didn’t like that.”

It was common knowledge that Dream and George had a close relationship. Dream would probably murder someone if George asked him to. In fact, Schlatt was positive he would.

“Actually,” Quackity began, “It was George’s idea.”

Schlatt almost tripped on air. “ _What?_ ”

“Yeah, I know. Apparently Bad wanted Dream to go to medical and Sapnap wanted to hear Dream’s side first—”

_Figures. Those two have been best friends since before Schlatt was born._

_That was a lie. But…they’ve been friends a long fucking time, okay?_

“—and Karl wanted to take him to you, basically it was chaos.”

“What’d Dream say about all this?”

“That’s the thing, he’s been dead silent. It was George who finally decided to check him for weapons and put him in a cell. I think Bad’s still ticked off for not being allowed to check him over but…no one is really on Dream’s side right now.”

Schlatt tried to grin but it came out more as a grimace. Word got around that Tommy was missing and Dream gave Wilbur TNT. Dream founded the land so no one wanted him dead, but it was hard to look at Dream the same. “Alright. Let’s go talk to this bastard.”

As Schlatt came to a stop in front of the green bastard’s cell, Dream looked up.

The first words Dream spoke since arriving back to Manburg was: “I know where Tommy is.”

* * *

Tommy’s first escape attempt didn’t work.

 _Obviously_.

He tried to get out after a night of hearing Techno and Wilbur whispering quietly about Manburg and Schlatt. Tommy stood by the living room longer than he needed to, hoping for any word on Tubbo, but the boy never came up.

Tommy did hear about Sapnap and Niki, but not much of anyone else.

Tommy wasn’t sure how long they’d been on their own. The days felt long and blurred together all at once; it could’ve been a year or two months.

However long it had been, Tommy had been good enough that the two left him alone in the house. As time passed and Tommy stayed docile, they left for longer until Tommy figured they were gone for the whole day.

Wilbur was the second to leave. A pick axe on his shoulder and a rucksack in his hand. His fingers were bony and pale from where they peaked out of his fingerless gloves, the edges had begun fraying. Wilbur would always peak his head in and say, “Bye, Toms. Back in a little while.”

Tommy wouldn’t respond. He often didn’t these days. He laid on his bed with his back to the door, curled up on his side with his head resting on his bent arm. Then his shoulder would hurt from laying on it too long so he’d roll over and repeat the process. He’d stare at his wall until they left, and he stared at his wall until they got back.

This day, he stared at the wall until he was sure they’re been gone for a while. Then, he stared some more and counted to three thousand to be certain they’d been gone for a while.

His eyes stung from keeping them open so long and he was starting to see things floating on the bare wall the longer he looked.

He jumped out of bed with a roll that seemed straight out of an action movie. Tommy liked action movies more than horror, but this felt like a nightmare.

He stood less than a foot away from his bed and looked around his room with his shoulders tense and his arms lightly spread out. Whether it was to keep his balance or defend himself from an unknown attacker, he couldn’t say. But he stood frozen for longer than he should’ve.

Longer than he could afford.

But it was hard to make himself move. He felt like any moment Wilbur would come home to surprise Tommy by being “home” early. Or that Techno would somehow sense that he was trying to escape and show up suddenly.

His hands were shaking and his eyes darted around the room frantically. Despite all of this, he forced his legs to move.

 _He needed to get out of here_.

His days were the same; pointless and monotonous. His life felt meaningless. He woke up to lay in bed, sometimes to eat breakfast _then_ go back to bed. He stared at the walls until someone got back, only to ignore them.

Tommy paced his room before remembering the plates. _And the shovel_.

He found the stone shovel in the chest in the living room, hidden inside under stacks of blankets. He darted into the kitchen and grabbed a dense wooden plate before going back to one of the living room’s windows.

He smashed the plate against the glass and was disappointed but unsurprised when all that came out of it was a dull “ _thunk_.” He rammed the plate into the glass rapidly and was panting by the time he finally heard a chip in the glass. His arms were shaking from the exertion, now unused to physical exercise.

He tossed the plate across the room with a huffed, “Fuck that,” and pulled his shovel up and back before slamming the butt of the handle into the glass, successfully shattering a sizeable hole.

He jammed the shovel into the gap and knocked most of the glass out of the way. He carefully swept the glass on the ground away from him with his shovel, mindful of how he didn’t have shoes.

He wedged the shovel between the wood of the house and the planks boarding up the windows and used his body weight to pry them apart. He let out his first laugh in weeks when he saw an orange glow of sunlight begin to peak through.

He propped a foot on the wall and _yanked_. He stumbled backwards when the boards finally gave way and fell off the house. Tommy had to shield his eyes from how bright it was. For a moment, he just stood there.

One hand gripping the shovel weakly, the other held in front of his eyes. Looking at how green the grass was and how pink the sky was. He dimly realised he’d waited longer than he should’ve and the sun was already beginning to set.

He had a brief thought to putting his escape of until tomorrow, but quickly dismissed the idea. He wouldn’t be able to board the window back up, the glass was broken, and he couldn’t sit through another family dinner.

Tommy stared at the outside world and felt his eyes well up. Everything in the house was a dim yellow glow that had begun to feel grimy and dirty. Outside, everything was bright and pink and _beautiful_. _How could Tommy have forgotten how beautiful the outside world was?_

He put his hands on the window sill carefully, avoiding shards of glass still stuck to the pane as he pushed himself up and out. His feet landed on the grass and he startled himself with a soft sob. The grass was so _soft_. Covering moist dirt and it was so much gentler than the hard floor of the house.

Tommy turned around and backed away to see that it was a cabin. It looked deserted with how raggedy and blocked off it was. Tommy continued backing away until he almost tripped over a root.

He let out a sharp hiss at how much it hurt. He bent his knee to look at the back of his ankle and saw the skin torn and turning red, but not bleeding. He stared at it for a moment in shock.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been with Techno and Wilbur, but throughout his stay he hadn’t got hurt once. Not even accidentally stubbing his toe. He’s come close, but someone would always pop up and pull on his arm with a light warning of, “watch out.”

He was surprised to find his foot hurting, but it wasn’t bad. After being locked up in that godforsaken safehouse, he was glad to feel something other than anger and numbness, and the anger had faded the longer he stayed.

He stood up and picked up his shovel from where he’d dropped it. He let it rest on the ground as he continued to stare at what had been his prison for _weeks_. It seemed so much smaller on the outside. Had he really been stuck there all this time?

He craned his neck to look at the woods surrounding him. It was getting darker fast; Tommy could see the trees towering around him, but not what kind they were. He shivered as the wind blew past him.

He shuffled forward slowly. Hesitating.

Where could he go? He hadn’t heard from Tubbo since Wilbur lost it—Tommy only just realised that he hadn’t had his communicator during his stay with Wilbur and Techno. He tried not to think about what implications that meant if he hadn’t noticed his communicator was missing because of how little he got messages.

His shoulders dropped a little but he continued to trudge towards the forest. There was a small clearing around the cabin, but Tommy wanted to take his time as he devised a plan of action now that he couldn’t trust anyone.

At this point, he couldn’t even trust himself since he clearly had a bad judge of character.

Tommy wouldn’t find refuge in Dream. Whatever positive relationship the two had was destroyed by the stupid war.

_What was it even for?_

They still lost everything, in the end.

At least Tommy did.

Manburg was out of the question.

_Or was it?_

A dark voice inside of Tommy spoke. It sounded suspiciously like Wilbur.

If Tommy went back to Manburg, he’d be killed on sight. Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. It seemed obvious that Tommy was the constant when things went wrong.

He was startled out of his thoughts by a grow behind him. He swung his shovel as he turned around and smacked a zombie in the shoulder.

“Shit,” Tommy cursed weakly.

The zombie’s skin was a sickeningly green with patches of greying brown. There was a chunk of flesh missing from its cheek. Its eyes were yellow and the pupils were grey. The teeth were mostly yellow with dark brown lining it’s gums.

Of course, there were about five teeth missing.

Tommy flipped his shovel and rammed the handle into one of the zombie’s eyes.

The zombie grunted and stumbled back and Tommy charged forward until the handle was sticking out of the back of the zombie’s head.

Tommy stumbled back and tried to catch his breath but before he could, the zombie meandered towards him with the shovel blade directed towards Tommy.

Tommy grabbed the edges of the shovel head and planted his feet as he tried to shove the zombie away.

The metal dug into his palms enough to make Tommy’s eyes water. He let out a breathy groan as his skin began to sting, but he held on and pushed.

But the months without exercise took its toll.

The zombie easily moved forward and pushed Tommy back as the boy tried to maintain his distance. The zombie’s arms were just barely out of reach.

“Ow—fuck!” He shouted as one of his hands slipped and sliced itself open on the shovel. Tommy grit his teeth and breathed harshly through his nose as he tried to keep quiet.

He didn’t need another monster coming out of nowhere due to his screaming.

He jerked the shovel down to try and put-off the zombie’s balance.

It worked, until Tommy found himself with his back to a tree and the shovel hovering over his chest; the only thing stopping it from impaling him was his bloody hands, split and sliced open from how sharp the shovel was.

His arms burned and shook from the force of keeping the blade a measly distance away from his chest.

“F-f—fuck.” He hissed as he breathed quickly.

“Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow—” He was cut off by his own scream as the shovel blade dug into the exposed muscles in his hands.

Blindly, he kicked out his legs only to be met with open air.

Tommy let out a grunt of air as the tip of the shovel pressed into his chest. He cracked open an eye—when had he shut them?—and glared as his cheeks puffed out in his effort to gather strength.

“You son of a bitch,” he growled lowly, scrunching his face as he tried to push the zombie away.

He let out a howl that didn’t sound human when the tip pierced his skin. It was a fiery hot pain that was all he could focus on. With a complete disregard for his hands, he shoved at the blade with all his might and let out a dry sob when the blade moved away to give roughly an inch of space.

Before Tommy could realise what was happening, there was another growl before a flash of _something_ appeared and body slammed into the zombie.

Tommy gasped sharply and pressed his bloody hand to his bleeding chest as he gulped for air. His throat burned coldly. He really needed to drink something.

He stared openly as Techno sat on the zombie and rammed his bare fists into the zombie’s head. Tommy couldn’t look away as bits of brown sludge splashed from the zombie’s splitting head, and he couldn’t block out the sound of the zombie’s skull cracking.

It sounded like Techno blade was hitting something mushy. Like if he’d hit a watermelon, for some reason. There were squelching noises every hit and it sounded less like he was hitting something solid, like a skull.

The zombie’s eye popped out before the skull finally concaved. Techno ripped his knuckles to shreds as he continued to beat the dead zombie.

There were hands on Tommy’s shoulders and then there was a hand on the side of Tommy’s face. Gently moving Tommy’s head to turn away from Technoblade and the zombie.

Tommy stared at Wilbur with wide eyes and his mouth opening and closing as he tried to remember how to speak and what words were.

Wilbur gave a sad smile. “Let’s get you inside.”

Tommy didn’t hear Wilbur speak, so much as he guessed from reading the older man’s lips.

Tommy’s shoulders shook and hot tears spilled down his cheeks as he shook his head. “I can’t do this anymore, Wil. Please don’t do this! I wanna go home!”

Wilbur pulled Tommy in for a hug, and for the first time since his abduction, Tommy didn’t pull away. Tommy was so tired and hurt that all he wanted was to be comforted by his family

He shifted his head to try and bury it against Wilbur’s chest, but he made no move to hold his older brother back. “Wilbur, I want to go home. I just wanna go home. Please.”

He felt a presence behind him and turned his head enough to see Techno standing there, staring down at him impassively. “No one cares about you there, Tommy.”

“Please, Techno.” Tommy begged, not wanting to believe that truly no one was looking for him. “Guys—I just want to go home.”

Techno pressed himself against Tommy’s back in an attempt to provide comfort. Tommy appreciated it as much as he felt suffocated.

Techno tilted his head down and closed his eyes as he let himself absorb that Tommy was alive and relatively alright.

Tommy looked out into the woods.

He heard a quiet rustling and when he blinked, he saw a white mask.

Tommy’s hand twitched. He stopped himself from reaching out at the last second.

He hoped Dream could see his face. Tommy made sure that he and the mask—hopefully, Dream—were making eye contact before he blinked carefully.

_Blink-Blink-Blink. Blink…Blink…Blink…Blink-Blink-Blink._

When Dream didn’t move, Tommy cleared his throat. “Help me.”

Wilbur hummed. “We will Tommy. We will.”

“Please.” Tommy begged, his voice cracking as he kept eye contact with Dream. He sobbed quietly. “I hate it here.”

“We know, Toms. But it’s for your own good.” Techno said, shifting so he could card his hands through Tommy’s hair.

Tommy’s eyes fluttered shut from the feeling of human contact. He wanted to bask in it for longer, but his arms were sore and his chest was stinging. When he opened his eyes, Dream was gone.

Tommy stared dully at the space and wondered if he’d even seen the green bastard at all.

* * *

It took Dream three weeks to get to Manburg on foot. His calves hurt and his hips burned but he only stopped when he physically could not force himself to move. His feet were bright red, covered in blisters, and _sore_.

Each step was agony until he was finally able to block it out. By then, he was so tired he was dragging his Netherite sword behind him. He’d lost his shield a while back.

He got an average eight hours of sleep a _week_ and he had run out of food on week two. He was hungry and tired and, quite frankly, ready to curl up and die.

He battled mobs until he was too exhausted and eventually ran away. Though his run was more of a stumbling jog.

He only rested during the day time; uncomfortably hot with the sun beating down on him, and using his mask to shield his eyes from the brightness.

He allowed his body the bare minimum of fuel. He only ate when he got dizzy and he only slept when his body literally gave out and he collapsed onto the ground. His body ached when he tried to roll over, so often times he would pass out face down and wake up either on his side or on his back, thanks to some animal checking if he was dead or not.

He almost wished he was.

_It was his fault._

_Everything was._

_He helped them kidnap Tommy._

_It was only fair that he would help bring him home._

Surprisingly—or, unsurprisingly—Dream knew morse code. Living on his own and being in a few wars before L’Manburg, of course he knew morse code.

He saw Tommy’s distress signal with the light of the moon illuminating the younger’s face. And, god, did Tommy look awful. He’d always been skinny, but this was different. He looked like he’d break if Dream hit him with a stick too hard.

His face was pale and gaunt and his eyes—Christ—his eyes were the worst. They were dull and shadowed; sunken into his head from days without sleep.

 _S—O—S_ , Tommy said without words, using his eyes to communicate. He blinked carefully and Dream felt a pang in his chest wondering when Tommy had learned morse code and if it was solely for a distress signal.

Dream wanted to shout that he’d be back for Tommy, but there was no way he could take on Technoblade as he was.

Technoblade’s fighting style changed when it was for Tommy. It was less about winning and more about destroying whatever threatened Tommy. It was about killing the enemy.

“Help me.”

Dream stayed silent, not willing to move until the three had gone inside. He tried not to make a noise at Wilbur’s sickly-sweet words. He let out a silent breath. It wasn’t hard for Dream to be quiet. He was a fantastic hider as well as a finder; staying silent when danger around was like his second-nature.

But a strong part of him wanted to give a verbal sign that he had heard Tommy. That he was going to help.

“Please.” Tommy had whispered. His voice was quiet and broken and his breathing stuttered. “I hate it here.”

Dream nodded to show that he would help because he didn’t want Tommy to give away his position. He silently ducked out of sight, unable to force himself to stay and watch Tommy break down.

He waited until they went inside the cabin to mark down their coordinates.

He had over a hundred messages from Sapnap and George, and a decent amount from Bad, Antfrost, and Schlatt.

Dream thought about telling them where he was. He could send out a message to everyone and tell them he knew where Tommy was.

The only problem was that Wilbur had Tommy. And Technoblade.

Dream was the only one who stood a chance against Technoblade, and he hadn’t packed for a fight. He’d been roaming the woods, reflecting on his life choices when he heard the scream.

It had been Tommy. With his back against a tree and a zombie cornering him with something sticking out of the back of its head. Before Dream could help, Technoblade jumped in and demolished the zombie.

So, Dream stayed hidden and ran when he could.

And then he made it home.

He stumbled through the tall grass with his feet aching every step from blisters that had formed through his relentless walking.

He was sweaty and dehydrated but he couldn’t stop now that he was so close.

He squinted to see through the slits in his mask and saw George and Sapnap heading towards Manburg from the west, whereas he came from the east.

“Dream!” It was George who noticed him first.

“DREAM!” Then Sapnap.

Dream tried to walk faster as George and Sapnap ran towards him yelling his name.

Sapnap flung himself at Dream and wrapped his arms tightly around the masked man’s shoulders. Dream wrapped one arm around Sapnap’s shoulders and opened his other arm for George.

Hugging the two men and finally feeling safe, Dream’s legs gave out. His knees buckled and he dropped slightly before Sapnap hoisted him higher and grabbed him tighter to keep him upright.

George and Sapnap had made quite the commotion. As the three stood there in their own little world, everyone in Manburg ran towards them. Then everyone bombarded him with questions.

“Dream, are you okay!?” Bad.

“Have you heard from Tommy?” Niki.

“Did you know Wilbur went crazy?” Eret.

“Did you really give Wilbur TNT?” Skeppy.

“Guys.” George.

“What happened to you?” Fundy.

“Where have you been?” Skeppy.

“Guys, give him space!” Sapnap.

“Yeah, you muffins! He needs to be taken to medical!” Bad.

“Guys!”

“No, he needs to be taken to Schlatt!” Niki.

“We need to take him home!” Sapnap.

“Not until we know what happened!” Niki.

“Guys—LISTEN!” George finally yelled.

Everyone stopped talking and stared and the typically quiet Brit. George took a shaky breath then straightened his shoulders, “Dream. You are suspected to have given Wilbur Soot TNT with the knowledge that he would detonate on Manburg, as well as with knowing about the abduction of Tommy Innit. Do you deny these accusations?”

“George, what the hell?” Sapnap yelled, both his arms still holding Dream up.

“What are you doing?” Bad asked, looking frantically between Dream and George.

Dream couldn’t bring himself to speak as he shook his head. He lightly pushed at Sapnap to give him space and forced his legs to cooperate. He could cry from how much pain he was in, not to mention the tiredness dragging him down, but he stood straight, if not a little shaky.

George straightened with a frown and gave a short nod. “Then as the Vice President, I hereby arrest Dream Was Taken—”

“What!?”

“You can’t do that—”

“George!”

“—for willingly and in full-awareness give explosives to a suspected terrorist as well as assisting in the kidnapping of Tommy Innit. He will be stripped of all weapons and placed in jail.”

“George—no, he needs to be checked over first!” Bad argued. Which was true. Dream was covered in dirt and blood and his body trembled harder every few minutes.

“Bad, Tommy needs to be our top priority. Until he’s safe and home, we have to put him first.”

“So, we need to interrogate him!” Skeppy yelled.

“Schlatt can do that in the cell. Quackity already left to get him. Everyone else needs to go about their day and _not_ tell Tubbo. Understood?”

No one moved. George glared, “Understood?”

There was a quiet murmur of agreement as George began patting Dream down and confiscating his items.

His flint and steel, cross-bow, pick-axe, and shovel was taken off his person.

Dream didn’t fight George, or try to run away. He was _tired_ of being the bad guy.

Soon, everyone had left and it was just Dream, George, and Sapnap. Skeppy had dragged off Bad, otherwise it would’ve been the DreamTeam like old times.

“George, what the hell,” Sapnap’s voice was low and threatening.

George stuck his jaw out, “We have to find Tommy.”

“You don’t even like that little shit!”

“So!?”

“If _you_ were missing, he wouldn’t look for you!” Sapnap yelled.

“He’s a child! And he probably would just so he could say he saved my ass!”

Dream couldn’t bring himself to stop the arguing. He was just so damn tired and he wanted to rest in his cell until he could find someone to help him find Tommy. It looked like that wouldn’t be Sapnap.

“Well—this isn’t right!”

“What isn’t right?” George asked, with a hint of warning.

Dream shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. George grabbed his arm to escort him to the jail.

“You’ve gotta be shitting me—this is Dream! He was our friend long before we even _knew_ Tommy and you’re just—gonna _throw that away!?”_

“Sapnap—” George sighed quietly. “I’m tired of fighting. I’m sorry, but we have to do this. You know we do.”

“Like hell—” Sapnap cut himself off when Dream put his hand on his shoulder. Dream shook his head gently and Sapnap grit his teeth and glared at the two of them. “I’m gonna take a walk.”

Dream watched Sapnap leave with a frown behind his mask. _Just how much had happened in his absence?_

Dream and George walked to the jail in comfortable silence. George didn’t ask any questions, and while Dream was relieved that he wouldn’t have to talk, it did hurt that George hadn’t asked if he was okay.

Because Dream wasn’t sure if he was.

They got to the cell and Dream was surprised by how warm it was. It was well lit and insulated and he sat down heavily on the bed as soon as he could reach it.

He placed his head in his hands and rested his elbows on his knees as George locked the barred door.

Dream sat still with his eyes closed until Schlatt came.

He looked up and saw Schlatt standing there with a hand in his pocket and the other in a lose fist, with Quackity behind him.

“I know where Tommy is.”

Schlatt nodded at him to continue and Dream decided to start from the beginning. When he first gave Wilbur the TNT and Tommy tried to stop them. When everything went _wrong_.

* * *

Tommy wanted to curse himself because he

Couldn’t.

Stop.

 _Sniffling_.

He wasn’t some sort of bitch baby who cried all of the time, but for whatever reason he couldn’t stop.

His hands hadn’t stopped hurting and his chest stung every time he breathed, making him cry more and breathe more, making it hurt more and so on.

Wilbur had pulled Tommy carefully inside the cabin as Techno set about fixing the window.

Wilbur tugged Tommy into the bathroom and sat the boy on the toilet, manually moving Tommy’s hands to face palm up. Wilbur made a small noise, “Aw, poor little Toms. You must’ve been scared until Techno came along, huh?”

Tommy couldn’t disagree. He had felt relief when he saw Techno.

“Don’t worry. We’ll always protect you. _Always_.”

Tommy kept his head down and bit the inside of his cheek. Maybe if he acted younger, it would make Wilbur and Techno easier to deal with until Dream came back.

Wilbur was certainly gentler with Tommy while he was crying.

Back in Pogtopia, when Tommy tried to prove he was a man, Wilbur had always shouted at him. One time, he even threw a lit lantern at Tommy’s head.

Wilbur hadn’t yelled once here.

He was _nicer_ , here. Techno was _present_ , here.

Tommy sat on the lid of the toilet, feeling like he was twelve after a fight with the village kids. Wilbur would scold and snark at him as he fixed Tommy up.

( _“God, you are such an idiot. That dude was three times your size!” “What the hell were you thinking!?” “At least tell me you won this time.”_ )

Now, Wilbur was softer. _Kinder_.

It made Tommy uncomfortable in a way that was hard to explain.

Wilbur wasn’t _nice_. They didn’t have a _nice_ relationship, even when they had a good one. They showed their care through quips and name calling.

( _“Nice going, dumbass.”_

_“You are a bitch.”_

_“God, you’re so annoying.”_

_“Hey, looser.”_

_“Dickhead.”_

_“Bitch-boy.”_

_“Arse-wipe.”_ )

This was new. Tommy had never felt so…precious before. He was always Techno and Wilbur’s annoying kid brother. Then he got older and he was just their annoying younger brother. Then Techno left and he became Wilbur’s annoying brother. And when they split up Tommy just became annoying.

He was never meant to be the kid who got the help he needed. He wasn’t the kid who got the hugs, and the love and support. He wasn’t _Tubbo_.

He was Tommy. He got the arrows in the chest and the betrayals.

He got kidnapped by his brothers after being betrayed by them.

Wilbur carefully cradled Tommy’s hand as he rinsed it with water, whispering, “ _This’ll be cold, but just for a sec. No need to worry, this’ll be over soon._ ” Before swiping a rag over Tommy’s hands to get the blood off.

Tommy’s mind was blank for once. He wasn’t thinking about Tubbo or being trapped in a log cabin with only Wilbur and Techno for company. He wasn’t thinking about Manberg or Schlatt or Dream. All he could focus on was how gentle Wilbur was being and how Tommy didn’t need the kindness. Didn’t deserve it.

Wilber carefully wrapped Tommy’s hand. Going across his palm and past his wrist until the bandages covered half of Tommy’s forearm.

“Uh, Wilbur, you don’t have to go that far.”

Wilbur hushed him quietly, “Just to be safe. The last thing we want is an infection.”

Tommy swallowed and closed his mouth. He could hear Techno hammering from down the hall and outside. Other than that, it was silent. Occasionally, Wilbur would explain what he was doing or warn Tommy that something would sting or be cold.

“Take off your shirt, Tommy.”

“No,” Tommy answered, reflexively.

Wilbur was facing the cabinet but turned around and look at Tommy with furrowed eyebrows. He’d taken his beanie off as soon as the two were in the bathroom, so his hair was a curling frizzy mess.

Tommy stared at him blankly.

“Tommy, you were impaled. We need to check it over and wrap it.”

Tommy looked down and his chest and saw that, yes, his shirt was an alarming red, but it wasn’t bleeding _now_. Tommy shook his hand and gave a small dismissal wave, “It’s just a flesh wound.”

Wilbur glared flatly. “Toms, I’m serious. Take your shirt off.”

“Wilbur, I’m serious. No way in hell.”

Tommy wasn’t sure why he was fighting so hard. He’d been shirtless around his brother loads of times and vice versa. They’d gone swimming together and had to address numerous abdomen wounds from night hunts, but something in Tommy didn’t want to be so exposed now.

Wilbur turned around and crossed his arms.

Now Tommy really felt like a fucking child.

Tommy hunched his shoulders and looked to the side. He tried to grip the edges of the toilet seat but it made his hands hurt so he let them hang by his side.

“Tommy.”

Tommy ducked his head lower and played with his bottom lip.

“Toms.”

Tommy shook his head shortly and wiggled his toes in his shoes for something to focus on.

Why did his fucking chest matter anyways? It was a stupid little nick. It barely even hurt now and it wasn’t bleeding.

It was silent for almost two minutes before Tommy cracked.

“Can’t I just…do it by myself?” He peaked up at Wilbur and saw the man was _still_ not angry with him, though he was clearly losing his patience. In the past, Wilbur had snapped at him for less.

“No, Tommy. You don’t know how.”

Tommy scoffed, “Course, I do, Big Man! I’ve done it loads of times before!”

That was the wrong fucking thing to say.

At first, Wilbur had smiled at the nick name. Then, his face darkened and he was poorly hiding how angry he was.

“Sorry,” Tommy said, without really knowing why he was apologising.

Wilbur pursed his lips and looked away, rubbing at his nose. Then he sighed and looked back at Tommy, now less angry and more tired. “Toms, your hands are fucked. You’re not going to be doing much on your own for a while.”

Tommy’s heart stopped _. He’d just gotten his independence and now he was gonna lose it?_

“I’m fine.” Tommy said quickly.

Wilbur snorted without humour, “You’re not.”

“I will be.”

“After some time, yes. Of taking it easy.”

“No, just—look. I’m gonna be fine. I always am, just—I know what I need.”

Wilbur rolled his eyes but indulged him, “Yeah? What do you need?”

“Just gotta sleep it off.”

“Yeah, no—that’s a no.”

Tommy grimaced and started tapping his foot. Now he felt like he couldn’t back down.

“Tommy, we’re addressing that cut whether you want to or not. Do you want the easy way or the hard way?”

“What’s the hard way?” Tommy asked, without the intentions of antagonise. Wilbur seemed to understand this as his lips quirked up in an amused little smile.

“Well, I could get Techno in here and he could hold you down. Or there are…alternative methods.”

Meaning drugging. Tommy tried not to lash out because it wouldn’t get him anywhere. Other than drugged quicker.

Tommy didn’t want to be fucking drugged again.

“Fucking fine, bitch boy. Let’s get this fucking over with.”

Tommy shifted to pull his shirt off but Wilbur stopped him and grabbed the edge of Tommy’s shirt himself. Tommy grimaced at the action, but was relieved he wouldn’t have to curl his hands.

Tommy shivered from how much colder it felt.

Wilbur took a look at the puncture on Tommy’s chest, but his stare didn’t linger. He quickly turned around and got two rags; one to wet and dab, and the other to wipe away the drying blood staining Tommy’s chest.

Tommy looked away and felt his face heat up.

They’d done this before. It was no big deal.

_No big deal._

* * *

“Why can’t you just…tell us where he is!” George yelled, for what felt like the fifth time. It probably was.

After Dream’s revelation of knowing Tommy’s whereabouts, he denied giving the exact location and instead tried to argue that he would escort them there.

“No, George! This is _my_ fault!” Dream shot back.

Schlatt sat in a chair against the wall with his head in his hands. They’d been trying to crack Dream for most of the day, but the green man hadn’t given anything away. Schlatt sent Quackity to get the original Dream Team in for assisting the questioning, but Sapnap was still “out on his walk.”

BadBoyHalo and George had shown up.

“Ok, well—” Bad began, “then how about you tell us where Tommy is, so we can save that lil muffin!”

Dream let out a sigh and Schlatt felt like doing the same. They were going in circles.

“No way, Bad. I’m the only one who stands a chance against Technoblade. No offense to you guys.”

George let out a humourless laugh, “We can’t just, let you out! You gave Wilbur TNT, Dream.”

“Yes, George! I know!” Dream shouted.

Schlatt leaned back and _thunk’d_ his head against the cobblestone wall with a flat frown.

Why couldn’t they just let Dream lead them? Oh—that’s right, Dream was the best speedrunner anyone had ever seen. He’d disappeared once already; he could just as easily do it again.

His communicator beeped and he took it out of his pocket sluggishly, tired from sitting here and listen to the three men go back and forth.

 _Philza’s here_. From Tubbo.

“Shit,” Schlatt muttered quietly. Philza would be expecting to leave immediately.

They were no where near ready; they didn’t even have a list of supplies they would need. How could Schlatt tell Philza that they’d all been sitting on their asses waiting for Dream to cough up the coordinates.

“Language.” Bad said reflexively, giving an apologetic smile when Schlatt frowned at him.

“What’s wrong?” George asked. He turned away from Dream with his shoulders slumped while Dream slouched over as well. At this point, there was less hostility and disappointment and more exhaustion.

“Tommy’s dad is here.”

“His dad?” The three said in unison.

Schlatt raised an eyebrow, “A sixteen-year-old kid went missing, what were we not gonna call his dad?”

“I just—I just never realised he had a dad.” George said dumbly.

 _What kind of a kid doesn’t have a dad_ , Schlatt almost retorted, before remembering most of them didn’t.

“Yeah, well…He does. Philza’s here.”

“Wait—Philza?” Dream asked, sitting up. He straightened his shoulders and closed his hands into fists on his knees.

Schlatt let out an annoyed groan, “Don’t tell me you know him.”

Dream shook his head quickly, “No, of course not. But that’s Techno’s dad.”

“Techno and Tommy are brothers?” George asked.

“Whoa,” Bad whispered quietly. Schlatt had felt the same.

“Yeah, them and Wilbur. Real brothers.”

“But, Techno’s accent—”

“They’re all adopted.” Schlatt answered, not letting George finish. “Look, I gotta go meet with this guy, alright? George, stay here and just,” Schlatt sighed. “God, I’m too tired to deal with this.”

He turned around and left the jail without finishing what he was going to say.

When he found Tubbo, the kid was shielding his eyes with his hand as he looked at the sky.

Schlatt glanced up before looking at Tubbo with his lip curled, “Tubbo, what are you doing?”

“Waiting for Phil.” Tubbo answered.

Schlatt looked around them and saw no one running towards them. “I thought you said he was _here_. As in, _now_.”

“He is, he just hasn’t landed yet.”

“Landed?” Schlatt repeated, before Tubbo made a choked noise and pointed up. With a flat sigh, Schlatt copied Tubbo and shielded his eyes as he looked up to find what Tubbo was so excited about.

Schlatt sighed again—he did that a lot, “Tubbo, I thought you liked bees. Not birds.”

“No—no! That’s Philza!” Tubbo yelled. He waved his arms frantically, with his eyes nearly squinted shut trying to keep track of the thing in the sky.

Schlatt looked around them again to check if this was a prank. When he looked back up, the bird definitely seemed bigger. And…human shaped. “He can _fly?”_

Before Tubbo could answer, Philza got closer and closer until he was right above them and shifting to land on his feet.

_He has on a fucking green bucket hat._

“You JSchlatt and…Tubbo?” Philza asked.

“Yeah. I’m Schlatt,” he waved a hand at the younger boy, “Tubbo. You Philza?”

“Yeah. Got here as quick as I could. Where’s Tommy?”

Schlatt rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes, “We’ve been interrogating the last person to see Tommy, a man named Dream—”

“We have Dream?” Tubbo interrupted. “For how long—how come nobody told me!?”

Schlatt clicked his tongue, “We weren’t sure if he knew anything and we didn’t wanna get your hopes up.”

“And?” Tubbo prompted.

Schlatt pursed his lips but nodded, “He knows where Tommy is.”

“Then what are we doing here!?” Philza demanded.

“He’s insisting on leading us. Says he’s the only one who can take on Technoblade, which is a compliment to your son, so you should be proud.”

Philza spared a glare at Schlatt. “Then _why_ can’t he lead us?”

Tubbo looked at Schlatt. Tubbo wasn’t exactly sure what all Dream had done, but he knew the green man had given Wilbur the TNT to blow up Manburg.

Schlatt decided to be blunt. “Dream gave Wilbur several stacks of explosives. He’s not the most trust-worthy and we can’t risk letting him go. He could disappear again and then we’d never find Tommy.”

Philza shifted his weight and furrowed his brows, “Then how’d you get him in the first place?”

Tubbo looked at Schlatt, equally curious. Dream was notorious for being impossible to catch. Even during practice, when Dream wasn’t taking it seriously, he’d only been caught once or twice.

Schlatt bit the inside of his cheek in minor irritation. “He…turned himself in.”

“He turned himself in?” Philza repeated, obvious disbelief.

Schlatt nodded with his mouth in a thin line.

“So, if he turned himself in, why can’t we trust him?”

Tubbo looked between the two and Schlatt wasn’t sure how to answer. “Okay, yes, he turned himself in but he could run away again!”

Philza rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles, “Let me talk to him.”

* * *

Wilbur took his time disinfecting the cut on Tommy’s chest and meticulously wrapped a think cloth bandage around Tommy’s upper chest down to his navel.

Wilbur helped Tommy change into different clothes. Once Techno had finished repairing the damage, he’d found the two in the bathroom and went off to get a change of clothes without a word.

Though Tommy did want to shower, he didn’t want anyone’s help. The new shirt already made him feel better, so he figured he’d be fine. He was ninety percent sure that the shirt was Techno’s.

It was a solid red, long sleeve tunic that stopped mid-thigh. The pants were Tommy’s though. A brown pair he’d gotten from Wilbur a long time ago. Tommy never wore them because they were too tight, but now they fit perfectly.

Tommy was about to go to his bedroom after Wilbur had left, but a voice called for him from the dining room.

Tommy tried to calm down his heart and ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. Of course, he wouldn’t get off easy. They were probably going to drug him again.

 _Fuck_ , he wished he never tried to escape.

He dragged his feet to where his brothers were. Techno was sitting at the table with his shoulders tight and his hands in fists on the table in front of him. He’d washed his hands but hadn’t properly addressed them, so Tommy could see his raw, split skin at the knuckles.

Tommy gave a silent wince and thought about apologising.

“Tommy,” Wilbur prompted.

Tommy looked over to where his brother was standing over the stove, stirring a pot.

Tommy looked back down before they could make eye contact.

Techno kicked out a chair for him to sit in. Tommy stood for a few seconds before slowly sitting down. His bac was to the door, which stressed him out. He couldn’t see his exit path.

Normally, Tommy was in the corner and had a clear view of Techno, Wilbur, the kitchen, and the living room. Tommy never realised how comforting to be able to see everything until he could only see one. With Techno sitting in front of him, Tommy would have to turn his head to see Wilbur and turn around to see his exit.

Tommy stared at the table but focused on Techno’s hands. _They look bad_.

Technoblade’s hands were still tightly fisted and Tommy knew that meant he was angry. Angry at fighting a zombie, at getting hurt, and at Tommy running away.

 _Trying_ to run away.

Again, Tommy got the urge to apologise, but he refrained. They shouldn’t have kidnapped him in the first place. He hunched his shoulders and drew his knees together.

He wasn’t sure what they were waiting for. Back in Pogtopia, Wilbur had yelled at him for decorating. He broke plates when Tommy wouldn’t shut up, so now Tommy stayed quiet.

Tommy tapped his finger against his leg and waited for someone to speak up.

Before he realised it, Wilbur was setting a steaming bowl in front of him.

Tommy looked down and wrinkling his nose when he saw it was mushroom soup. Brown broth with brown chopped up vegetables floating in a brown bowl. Sitting on a brown table. For a second it made Tommy cringe at the singularity of it all; then he cringed at the smell of something so savoury directly after having dead blood splattered on him. “Wh-What’s this?”

Tommy asked, tilting his head up to look at Wilbur. He chickened out half way and settled for staring at Wilbur’s shoulder.

“It’s food, Tommy. The stove and furnace were cold when we got home.”

Tommy curled in on himself at the reminder of what went down, but he couldn’t hide his confusion. “So?”

Technoblade flexed his hands and answered. “That means it hasn’t been used since this morning.”

Tommy turned to look back at Techno’s fucked up hands. He still didn’t understand the point of the conversation. So, what if the stove was cold? Tommy never used it, of course it would be cold.

“Okay…?” Tommy prompted.

The two stayed silent for longer and Tommy alternated from looking at Techno’s hands and Wilbur’s shirt.

“Tommy, you haven’t eaten today.”

“Oh,” Tommy responded, lamely. _That’s what this was about?_ Not Tommy trying to escape?

“Tommy, that isn’t okay. In the bathroom—” Wilbur cut himself off. “Tommy, I could count the notches in your spine.”

Tommy stared at the soup. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

He didn’t want to eat. Wilbur made it, it probably had drugs in it. To make Tommy sleep so he couldn’t escape. So, he couldn’t even try.

“Just—eat.” Wilbur ordered, setting a metal spoon down on the table.

“I’m not hungry,” Tommy stated. Which was true. Despite it being his second or third day without eating, he wasn’t hungry.

“Tommy.” Technoblade spoke up. “Eat the damn food.”

Tommy curled in on himself further. It had been ages since Techno swore around him, not to mention at _him._ Tommy felt a wave of guilt wash over him at the idea of him being so annoying and stubborn that he made his brother swear at him.

Wilbur made a noise at the back of his throat, “Techno.”

Tommy kept his head down and stared at the table. He tried to focus on his brothers talking and not on the mental mantra, _“you fucked up, you fucked up, you fucked up,”_ echoing in his head. He could barely see Techno’s fists at the top of his vison and he dropped his head lower to avoid them completely.

“Sorry,” Techno apologised plainly. His voice had no inflection, but he never did. “Tommy, we’re just worried about you.”

That made Tommy’s stomach jolt and his head twitched in a reflexive shake before Tommy managed to stop himself. He wanted to shake his head, deny what his brother said because it was plainly false.

Technoblade didn’t _worry._ It’s just not something that happened. He got angry, yes. And disappointed, often. Usually at Tommy. Hell, Technoblade could get happy, but true joy was rare for the Piglin. And usually took the form of winning a victory or Tommy being comically injured.

Tommy didn’t respond. He tapped his thigh faster and tried not to zone out. He wanted to go to his room and sleep. Maybe if he ate the food, he’d fall asleep quicker, but he didn’t _want_ to eat. He wasn’t _hungry_.

“Toms?” Wilbur prompted.

Tommy looked to the side and tried to keep his body still. Without noticing, he’d started to rock slightly and he didn’t want Wilbur or Techno to see him as weak. He started tapping his foot to get more energy out. _Did they want him to thank them? Apologise?_

Tommy gave a jerky nod to show that he was listening. He was trying to listen but it was hard to concentrate on the words spoken to him when his mind was full of images of his bed and scenarios of blissful peace in which Tommy hadn’t tried to sneak out and his brothers were none the wiser to his deterioration.

“Tommy, we need you to eat the soup Wilbur made.” Techno’s voice was matter-of-fact.

Tommy shook his head without realising it. “No.”

Wilbur shifted forward closer to Tommy. He bent his torso towards Tommy and tilted his face inward. Though Tommy didn’t like the proximity—he felt so uncomfortable his skin started to itch—he made no move to create distance.

“Tommy, did you just say no?” Wilbur’s voice was light, joking. As if he hadn’t believed what he’d actually heard.

Tommy didn’t answer.

Wilbur looked at Technoblade with hardened eyes. “Get the rope.” 

Tommy’s attention snapped towards Wilbur and his body tensed as Technoblade pushed himself up. “Wait—what!?”

Wilbur leaned back leisurely and stretched his arms over his head with his palms out and fingers interlaced. He took a deep breath, “Well, _you_ wanted to do this the hard way, Toms. So, we’ll do it the hard way.”

Wilbur moved to the side to allow Techno through before walking backwards to block the doorway while keeping his eyes on Tommy.

 _Fuck that_.

Tommy got up slower than he intended. His legs felt unsteady and he took his time because he wasn’t sure where he could go with Wilbur looming over him like that.

Wilbur gave him a small smile, “What’s your plan?”

Tommy couldn’t bring himself to look at Wilbur’s eyes, so he stared at the table and debated with himself. He couldn’t hear Technoblade and Wilbur was blocking the only exit.

“Aw~” Wilbur cooed at him, making Tommy simultaneously wanted to run, hide, and punch Wil in the face. Tommy inched backwards, with his hands drawn tight against his chest defensively.

Wilbur didn’t follow him, which was a relief as much as a hinderance. It was nice to not be followed, but Tommy needed Wilbur away from the door.

“Wilbur, please don’t do this,” Tommy begged quietly, chancing a glance up and swallowing at the deranged grin Wilbur had on. His eyes were squinted but focused solely on Tommy. Wilbur had his feet planted firmly on the ground, shoulder-width apart as if he were a soldier. His arms were lax hanging by his sides.

Tommy felt the wall touch his back and pressed further back into it. “Wil, Wil,” Tommy began, trying to find what to say.

Wilbur let out a cruel giggled, before mockingly repeating, “ _Wil, Wil._ ” In a high-pitched voice.

Tommy felt his cheeks burn at how childish he was acting. “Wil, please, I’m sorry!”

Wilbur shook his head with false apology, “’M sorry, Toms. There’s nothing I can do.”

Tommy shuffled down the wall to the corner of the room. “But Wilbur—I’m not hungry, I don’t want it.”

Wilbur snarled briefly, “Ungrateful brat.”

Tommy shook his head vigorously, “No-no-no-no-no-no, that’s not what I meant!”

He heard Techno’s footsteps fall heavy on the wooden floorboards before he saw the man stroll up behind Wilbur with spider-web rope held loosely in his hands.

“We doin’ this the easy way?” Techno asked calmly.

Wilbur stepped to the side and nodded at where Tommy had begun shaking.

Techno hummed in thought, “Guessin’ that’s a no.”

Tommy flinched back when Techno stalked towards him. It felt like his muscles were locking up and not listening to him. His leg gave a halting jolt when he tried to get it to move. It was only when Technoblade was within grabbing distance that Tommy’s body actually cooperated.

When Techno’s hand reached out to grab his shoulder, Tommy ducked down on impulse and darted to the side, keeping his back to the wall and his gaze flitting between Technoblade and Wilbur.

Wilbur heaved out a heavy sigh and rolled his neck. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Tommy.”

Tommy felt a spark of anger, but it quickly gave way to unbridled fear. He wanted to talk this through but his tongue felt swollen and foreign in his mouth; like it wasn’t his own. His chest went up and down faster as his breathing quickened.

It was hard to think full thoughts. He processed bouts of words screamed in his head.

_Danger!_

_Get out!_

_Door!_

_Not left!_

_Not right!_

_Hide!_

_No hide!_

_Duck!_

Tommy dropped down as Techno lunged at him. Tommy scurried under the table and winced at the sound of the wooden chair legs scraping on the floor. He felt a hand on his ankle before a harsh _yank_.

Tommy let out a shout when he felt his ankle pop and he hissed when his upper body fell to the floor. His teeth clamped down on his own tongue and his eyes watered with how much it hurt.

He grabbed onto one of the table legs with a weak grip; he overlapped his hands and hoped it was enough. With his free leg, he kicked blindly at what had to be Technoblade behind him.

“Let me go,” Tommy shouted, his voice coming out more guttural and desperate than he realised it would.

“Tommy,” Techno said with a slight strain, “just give it up!”

Tommy tried to pull himself away, he even tried to use his leg to crawl forward. He felt his elbows start to bend as he gained distance before Technoblade pulled again, and this time, the table slid backwards as well as Tommy.

The table sliding startled Techno enough for Tommy to kick out of his grip and pull himself under a chair and towards the door.

He saw Wilbur stepping closer. Tommy bent his knees and backed out from under the chair. He pressed his hands flat onto the seat and waited for Wilbur to get close enough before he shoved the chair into Wilbur’s stomach as Tommy pushed it far away enough for him to squeeze out.

Wilbur let out a sharp breath as the wind got knocked out of him. Tommy utilised the distraction as an opportunity to escape. He jumped on the chair and leaped over where Wilbur had doubled over to catch his breath.

Tommy could hear his blood pounding in his ears as he looked down to where he was falling and saw Technoblade running towards him.

Tommy’s ankle rolled on impact but he ignored it as he ran out of the room and towards the front door in the living room. He made it three steps before Technoblade tackled him and used his body weight to hold Tommy down.

Tommy’s chest pressed flat against the floor in a way that made it hard to breathe. Tommy tried to wiggle out but everything felt so _heavy_. Tommy was tired and he wanted to give up. He gave one more try to worm his way out, but there was no leeway.

All at once, Tommy slumped boneless under Technoblade, pushing all thoughts out of his mind and focused simply on catching his breath and the feeling of Technoblade’s own heaving chest against his back.

Technoblade stayed there for a minute longer before pushing himself up enough to look down at Tommy. “Are you done?”

Tommy turned his head to the side and closed his eyes, swallowing in an attempt to alleviate his dry throat. Technoblade nodded to himself and moved to kneel over Tommy’s body, rather than laying on it.

It was easy to get Tommy’s hands behind his back to tie them together. Looped individually, then crossed and tied together; Tommy didn’t even try feeling how secure his new bonds were.

He heard Wilbur come in through his wheezy breaths. Wilbur coughed heartily and the wheezing stopped. Then he spoke, “I thought you wouldn’t try to leave so soon after getting Techno hurt.”

Tommy got a mental flash of Techno’s fucked up hands and felt the guilt build up in his chest again. He didn’t open his eyes or try to move until hands grabbed his arms and hauled him up.

They took him back into the dining room and sat him in a chair before Techno wrapped more rope across his arms to the chair.

Tommy stared dully at the soup that was now likely to be lukewarm. It wasn’t steaming anymore.

He felt incredibly stupid. He couldn’t even try his hardest to fight back because he was so terrifyingly afraid of his brothers and hurting his brothers, that the worst he could do is knock them down for a few seconds.

There would be no chance of him escaping without genuinely attacking them and Tommy wasn’t sure if he’d ever be ready for that, especially with how horribly he fended off the zombie. His strength and fighting were wasting away and he wasn’t sure if he would get them back.

It made Tommy realise how pointless resisting _was._ He’d never be good enough to stop them, he’d only be delaying the inevitable.

Techno finished tying of the string and stepped back slowly, in case Tommy would try to wriggle his was out again.

Tommy jolted at the sound of a chair being dragged towards him. Wilbur sat close to Tommy; less than a meter between the two of them. Tommy kept his head low but watched carefully as Wilbur leaned over to bring the stew closer to himself then pick up a spoon.

Tommy tried not to project his confusion. Was this some sort of punishment? Watching Wilbur eat his soup?

Tommy wasn’t going to question it until Wilbur carefully got a spoonful and brought it to Tommy’s mouth.

Tommy looked up at Wilbur’s face with startled eyes. Wilbur looked calm, as if everything was normal. As if having to feed Tommy like a baby was normal.

“Wha—” Tommy got cut off when Wilbur shoved the spoon in his mouth. Tommy made a choked noise but didn’t try to spit anything out. He swallowed quickly and turned his head to cough a few times from the unexpectedness of it.

Tommy kept his head turned away so he could speak, “Why are you doing this?”

Wilbur gently turned Tommy’s head towards him and brought a new spoonful close to the younger’s mouth. “You can’t do it yourself.”

Wilbur moved his hands to squish Tommy’s cheeks until his mouth opened and carefully fed the stew in. Tommy, again swallowed, but shook his head out of Wilbur’s hand. As Wilbur repeated the process of getting more soup, Tommy spoke.

“Well, why do you have to do it?”

Wilbur quirked a smile, “Do you want Techno to?”

Before Tommy could turn and get a look at his silent brother, Wilbur had shoved another spoonful of soup into his mouth. Tommy pressed his mouth closed and looked away from Wilbur.

“Tommy, open up.” Wilbur said lightly. He let out a sigh, “Do we have to do the train thing?”

Tommy’s cheeks burned and his turned further away from Wilbur. So much so that he could feel the spider-web roped pressing into his arms.

Techno stood up and made his way over, “Tommy, I’ll feed ya if that’s what ya want.”

Tommy shook his head and glared at the pink haired one.

Tommy felt his stomach twinge and felt his body go flush. He would not be able to eat much more or he’d be sick. His body had gotten used to so little sustenance, even the amount he’d had was about to make him sick.

“Guys—wait,” Tommy began, moving his head when Wilbur tried to grab him. “I can’t eat that much!”

“You can and you will,” Wilbur insisted, motioning for Techno to hold Tommy still.

Techno stood behind Tommy and grabbed his chin, gently but firmly, and turned it towards Wilbur.

“No, listen to me—” he nearly choked on the stew shoved into his mouth. He tried to cough and spit it out, but Techno covered his mouth with his free hand.

Tommy had a childish thought of licking the elder’s hand but figured it would only serve to prove they were right about how childish he was.

Tommy’s throat felt raw at the end of his coughing fit, and though he didn’t remember swallowing, there was no stew left in his mouth.

Techno uncovered Tommy’s mouth and Tommy rushed to speak, “I’m gonna be sick!”

That got Wilbur to pause. Wilbur sighed and shook his head, “Toms, just because you don’t want—”

“No-no-no-no, Wil, I swear! I’m gonna be sick, I can’t eat that much!”

Wilbur looked at Techno for his input. Techno didn’t move out from behind Tommy, so he couldn’t tell what the elder was thinking.

After a moment Techno spoke, “I _have_ heard of malnutrition cases where eating too much too quickly can make them sick.”

Tommy felt like he could breathe again. Techno hadn’t exactly _agreed_ with him, but he was backing up what Tommy said.

“How much is a lot?” Wilbur asked, looking down at the bowl that didn’t seem to be any less than before.

Techno hummed, “Two more spoonfuls.”

Wilbur scoffed, “That’s not enough.”

“Five. Max.”

Wilbur still seemed displeased, but he conceded because Techno seemed to know more on the subject. He turned to Tommy and the younger recoiled back, shaking his head briefly.

“Come on Toms, it’s not _that_ much.”

“No, Wilbur—I’m gonna be sick!”

Wilbur ignored him and fed him again and again. Tommy didn’t count but it felt like more than five. His stomach hurt and he wanted to go to his room.

“There, now you’re done.”

Tommy didn’t look at Wilbur and focused on the way his foot tapped the ground. “We’re going to untie you now, okay?” Wilbur asked.

Tommy twitched but didn’t answer. The roped around his arms came off slowly; whoever was unwrapping him—probably Techno—took their time unwinding the roping one layer at a time, instead of untying him and letting them fall off.

Tommy rolled his shoulders and tried to move his arms, but it was difficult with his hands still tied.

“What about his hands?” Techno asked lowly.

Wilbur hummed, “He tried to escape twice today. It might not be a bad idea to keep them on.”

“Please take them off.”

Tommy was surprised to hear himself—he hadn’t meant to talk out loud. He had to turn his head to look between his brothers. “I promise I won’t run or try to leave. I swear.”

Just feeling the texture on his skin was making Tommy’s skin crawl. The rope wasn’t rough or tight, but it made his insides shudder at the feeling and if he focused on it too much, he’d start to hurl.

“Please,” he asked again.

Wilbur sighed heavily and Tommy pressed his knees closer together at the sound with a slight wince, knowing he was being annoying.

“Tommy, we can’t trust you—”

“I swear I won’t run! I’ll do whatever you say, just _please_ let me out!”

Wilbur tapped his chin in thought. Techno remained silent, willing to go along with Wilbur whatever the slightly crazed man decided.

“If you swear that you’ll listen—”

“I swear! I swear!”

Wilbur held up a finger and Tommy immediately quieted. “If you swear to listen—an _d!—_ if you swear to obey, we’ll let you out.”

Tommy faltered, “What…what’ll you have me do?”

“Nothing bad, Toms. But when we tell you to eat, you have to eat. If we tell you to go to bed you have to. If we decided to take you outside, you’ll have to obey us so we can protect you.”

Tommy sat up straighter at the prospect of going outside. He thought it over in his head. Already, he’d have to listen to them. Even if he resisted, he’d end up being forced to do what the say. If he agreed now, there’d be a chance of going outside!

Tommy swallowed and looked at the ground. Pogtopia Wilbur seemed much more violent and dangerous. This…weird protective Wilbur seemed to genuinely care about Tommy’s well-being.

The more Tommy thought about it, the more he could understand why they drugged him in the first place. He wouldn’t cooperate and they needed to get him to safety.

Tommy rubbed his fingers together repetitively. What’s the worst thing they could have him do? Go to bed early? Eat too much?

He couldn’t let them know that he was so willing though. They could change the terms, so Tommy sat in silence longer to make it seem like he really didn’t want to do it.

Tommy looked at Wilbur’s shirt rather than Wilbur’s eyes. “I swear.”

Techno snorted, “Gotta be a bit more specific.”

Tommy pursed his lips and turned his head, “I swear I’ll listen and…and obey you guys.”

That night, Tommy went to bed between the two; Wilbur on his left and Techno on his right. Though Techno had been relatively distant during their “vacation” now, as they were falling asleep, Technoblade put his arm around Tommy and stayed away long after the younger had fallen asleep.

Techno’s emotional expression was different from that of Wilbur and Phil, especially concerning Tommy.

Techno didn’t feel the need to put on an act around Tommy. He knew he would never have to force himself to be social around Tommy; the younger had enough words for the both of them. But…being here, Tommy had grown quiet. He rarely talked to Technoblade and when he talked to Wilbur, it was always arguing or dejected agreement.

Techno hadn’t slept with his brothers since before they left Philza’s. Tommy was not yet a teenager, but he asserted that he was too old for hugs and sharing a bed.

At the time, Techno hadn’t minded. He valued his isolation and was content with having more time to himself. Tommy shut his door at night and Techno shut his own, mirroring everyone else and unintentionally blocking Tommy out when the younger woke up and went to Technoblade’s room for comfort, only to find the door resolutely closed.

In Pogtopia, Tommy didn’t have a door for his room. It was near torturous for Technoblade to hear his youngest brother wake up gasping in the middle of the night. Muffled sobs and choked off screams played on repeat in Technoblade’s head hours after Tommy would quiet down.

When Wilbur proposed the idea of taking Tommy away from them, Technoblade thought only for a second before agreeing that it was the best for Tommy. Techno spent his days in Manburg away from Wilbur and Tommy, and could see the isolation was negatively affecting them both.

Sure, they brought Tommy into a new solitude, but Techno hoped the change in scenery would do some good. That the distance between him and his friends would be a good cover for why they never visited.

Tommy never spoke it out loud, but Techno could see how much the younger hurt when Tubbo stayed in Manburg instead of denouncing his office. How betrayed Tommy felt when no one freely and openly joined his side.

Now, as Technoblade looked down at the back of Tommy’s head, he regretted that they hadn’t taken Tubbo as well. His brother was too small in his arms; he curled up tightly, subconsciously protecting himself against unseen attackers and it made Technoblade want to slaughter everyone who’d ever hurt Tommy.

Including himself and Wilbur for taking him away from his friends and not noticing how bad Tommy was getting while in their care.

Techno stayed awake for hours, curled around Tommy and alert of his surroundings. Wilbur lay asleep next to Tommy; the two not touching but Techno knew that the arm Wilbur had hanging off the side of the bed was inches away from his sword.

When Techno fell asleep, he promised that he would do better and be better.

For Tommy.

It took longer than Philza had intended to get the coordinates from Dream.

Dream hadn’t talked to anyone after Schlatt left him the first time. He laid on his side, back to the cell and ignored everyone. One arm crossed over himself and the hand was visible from where it lay limp on his side; dirt and covered in blood, matching the green fabric of the man’s clothing.

It was George who noticed Dream wasn’t ignoring them. Frantically, he unlocked the cell and knelt by Dream’s side, gently shaking the man’s shoulder at first before growing more careless. “He won’t wake up!”

Schlatt called Bad in, who relayed that he wasn’t surprised this had happened. “I _told_ you guys he needed to go to med bay! He over-exhausted himself.”

Philza growled in frustration and slammed his fist against the cobblestone wall, but distantly, he knew it wasn’t Dream’s fault. The man had walked tirelessly to get to Manburg, and Phil could applaud him for the determination, but he felt so _useless_.

His sons had kidnapped his other son, and from what Tubbo had briefed him on, Tommy was more fragile now than when he’d left Philza.

Philza’s blood boiled when he heard of the things Wilbur had done. Wilbur never handled anger well, but _throwing things?_

In the dark parts of his mind, Philza wondered where he went wrong. If he should’ve left Wilbur where he found him. Philza immediately felt horrible for thinking the thought, but he couldn’t shake off the disgust he felt towards his eldest.

He wasn’t overly surprised that Techno was in on it, nor was he surprised that he was following Wilbur. Techno was strong and independent, but he always followed Wilbur. The Piglin was content with following someone’s orders as long as they knew they couldn’t control him.

Despite what Techno and Wilbur said, Philza knew that loved Tommy and wanted to protect him. Even when Tommy was new to the family and consciously horrible to them; when the village kids jumped Tommy, Wilbur and Techno were the first to come after them.

Philza wondered when they had taken it too far or if they’d always been like this, and only now that he’d been gone could his sons act.

With Sapnap’s begrudging help, Dream was moved to the infirmary. Sapnap was still pissed at George for locking their friend in a cell, but he quickly set his anger aside to help Dream. For three days, Dream was in the hospital unconscious. He was tied to the bed and monitored all hours of the day, but Schlatt had moved him when he wouldn’t wake up.

On the fourth morning, Philza wasn’t expecting Dream to wake up. He was no where near the infirmary; he was flying in the air for something to do to take his mind off of everything.

Even in the air, Philza couldn’t stop thinking of what they could be doing to Tommy. If Wilbur had been abusive—and _god_ wasn’t that a hard pill to swallow—in Pogtopia, who’s to say he wasn’t abusive now?

Philza flew for _hours_. Circling the SMP, coasting over woods and rivers; not really looking for anyone because he knew his sons would never camp so close to everyone, but keeping an eye out for suspicious behaviour.

He touched back down around midday, only because he was hungry. He checked his communicator reluctantly. He’d felt it buzz in the air, but there hadn’t been a flurry of messages so he figured it was an encouraging message from Tubbo.

Well, the message was from Tubbo.

**[Drem awaek]**

Philza pushed off the ground and let his wings fly him to the infirmary. He was surprised there was no crowd of people. He quickly walked inside and to the hall of beds, where he saw only Schlatt, Tubbo, and Bad in the room aside from Dream.

Dream was sitting up, his mask still on his face, though he was in white hospital clothes.

Schlatt looked up when he heard Philza come in.

Philza stalked over and grit his teeth. He stopped when he stood at the side of Dream’s bed and spoke before giving the “green bastard” a chance. “Tell me where my son is. _Now_.”

Dream let out a breath, “Look, no offense? But I don’t trust some middle-aged man to take on Technoblade.”

Before anyone could blink, Philza had grabbed Dream’s arm and twisted the green man to lay face down on the hospital bed with his arm stretched up and backwards and Philza’s knee digging into his back.

There was a clatter as Bad dropped something and shouted, “No harassing the patients!”

Dream wheezed out a cough and Philza pulled his arm farther back.

“Who do you think _taught_ Technoblade?”

“Holy shit,” Tubbo whispered from besides Schlatt. The man with horns had pulled Tubbo away from Philza as soon as the man attacked Dream. Schlatt’s hands were still on Tubbo’s shoulders when Philza released Dream.

“You’re gonna tell me where my sons are. You are in no condition to fight _anyone_ , let alone my son.”

Dream pushed himself up on shaky arms and almost fell until Bad helped him sit up.

Dream’s mask had slipped up to show his mouth. There was a scar on his lip. He covered his mouth and coughed harshly, but when he moved his hand he was smiling. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Schlatt echoed with clear disbelief in his curled lip and wide eyes.

Dream nodded, “I’ll tell you where they are, but _please_ let me come. It’s my fault they got Tommy in the first place.”

Philza stared at him for a minute before, “Just tell me where they are.”

Nearly two months after Tommy’s first escape attempt, Wilbur and Techno were letting him go outside.

His chest was still pink and scabbed, but mostly healed now. The cuts on his hands had puckered into scars that he was still getting used to, but he could ignore them with just how _happy_ he was to go outside.

“Wil! Wil, can we go now!?”

Wilbur chuckled and shook his head. “You need to eat first Tommy.”

Tommy quickly sat at the table and waited for Techno to finish cooking. In the two months of their agreement, Tommy slowly started gaining his weight back. His bones were still prominent, but he was making good progress.

He kicked his feet under the table impatiently but didn’t try to get out of eating. He’d tried that once and it didn’t end well.

He shuddered when he thought about it, so he shook his head and focused on the plate that Techno set in front of him.

Tommy made no move to grab it, however. He waited for Wilbur to sit besides him and cut up the food. Even after Tommy’s hands healed, Wilbur insisted on doing it and Tommy couldn’t see the harm in it.

He didn’t see the point in arguing over it.

Tommy ate quickly, slowing down periodically when Wilbur told him to.

When his plate was clean, Techno took it to the sink and washed the dishes.

Tommy tried to sit still, but found himself bouncing in his seat and kicking his feet.

Wilbur gave him a fond smile, “Are you excited Toms?”

Tommy nodded quickly and leaned forward, “Hell fuckin’ yes!”

Wilbur glared sharply and sat up straighter. “Tommy. What did we say about swearing?”

Tommy hunched in on himself and looked down. “Sorry, I’m sorry. I forgot.”

He heard Wilbur give a heavy sigh and Tommy had a moment of internal panic. It had been a week since the “no swearing” rule had happened. Wilbur and Techno could still swear, but Tommy was “too young for such profanities.”

Tommy dug his nails into his thighs and felt his face get hot. He didn’t want to cry, but if he lost his chance at going outside, he’d definitely lose his ~~shit~~ mind.

Wilbur got up and moved to stand by Tommy before laying a heavy hand on Tommy’s shoulder, making the younger tense up. “No worries, Tommy. Just apologise.”

Tommy swallowed thickly and took a few deep breaths before he could properly talk. When he messed up, this happened a lot. He’d get scared for no reason; Wilbur and Techno never got mad at him. They were patient and let him apologize and moved on.

“I’m s-sorry for swearing, Wil.”

Wilbur clapped his hand on Tommy’s shoulder, making the younger flinch minutely. “There ya go, Toms! It’s okay, just try harder next time.”

Tommy was thankful Wilbur was for forgiving. When Tommy thought about it, he wasn’t trying _not_ to swear, so it was his fault, really. Wilbur was just trying to be a good big brother. Tommy had to be a better younger one.

Techno finished the dishes and the three made their way outside. Tommy was less energetic than he had been before; his mood had been dampened by his slip up, but he was still ecstatic to go outside. Even though his shoulders remained slumped and his feet dragged on the ground, there was a small smile on his face as Wilbur opened the door and led the way out.

Wilbur had a shield, an enchanted diamond sword hanging by the hilt from his belt, a diamond pick-axe on the other side, and an iron axe in his hand. Though Wilbur hated wearing armour, he had on a Netherite chest plate and boots on; courtesy of Technoblade.

Technoblade was dressed in full Netherite armour with a shield strapped to his arm. Tommy wasn’t quite sure what the enchantments were, but when he accidently bumped into Techno, his own body got shocked and it took ten minutes for him to stop shaking. Technoblade had a crossbow strapped to his back and an enchanted sword in his hand.

Tommy had no armour. He had no shield. When he asked Wilbur about it, the brunet had glowered and asked why Tommy would need armour if they were protecting him. Tommy quickly apologised for being stupid, but it took Wilbur a day and a half to bounce back to normal.

Tommy learned quickly not to question Wilbur. He didn’t question Technoblade either, but Techno would usually offer an explanation. Like if Tommy asked why he had to do something, Techno would respond, “Cause Wilbur’ll kill you if you don’t.”

Tommy wasn’t sure if it was true or not. Sometimes, Wilbur seemed to look at him with so much hatred, Tommy did his best to stay out of his brother’s way. Sometimes, Wilbur would stare openly at Tommy as if Tommy was the most precious thing in the world. He’d speak softly to Tommy and smile gently, and indulge Tommy when he asked to use something.

Tommy was getting better and deciphering Wilbur’s moods.

Wilbur had the food and Techno had potions in case of unexpected mobs. He had: three bottles of healing, three bottles of swiftness, two of strength, and one of invisibility. Tommy had a compass that pointed towards the safe house.

Wilbur had made it abundantly clear that Tommy was not to wander off or leave on his own, but if there was a mob attack and he lost Techno and Wilbur, he was to follow the compass home.

Tommy stuck it in his pocket, confident that they wouldn’t get split up even if Tommy had no armour or weapons.

Tommy trailed behind Wilbur and in front of Technoblade. He wanted to take off the shoes Wilbur had given him and feel the grass, but he had a feeling that wouldn’t be well received. He wasn’t as overcome with seeing the outside world as he had been a couple of months ago, but he still took time to look at every tree, rock, and bush.

Technoblade gave him a small back to put whatever he wanted in during their excavation. It was too small to hold any weapons, and it would be full with two loaves of bread, but Tommy was thankful nonetheless.

Every so often, he’d bend down to pick up a leaf or a twig and put it in his satchel. He wouldn’t admit it even in his mind, but he wanted to savour every moment and have something to remember it by.

Tommy wasn’t completely confident that he would get to go outside again while the grass was green and the air was warm. Tommy did want to see the snow, but he loved when everything was alive and _warm_.

They weaved throughout the trees, rather than stay in one straight line. Tommy let his hand stretch out to feel every tree they passed. His fingers brushed by a lose piece of bark and caught it when it fell. He cradled it in his hands as he stepped carefully after Wilbur.

The wood was small and flaking off in Tommy’s hands. Just by lightly pressing his fingers into the piece, he could feel it bend. He put it in his bag carefully and brushed off the left-over dark spots on his hands.

Wilbur came to a stop at a stream. “We’ll take a break here to get water.”

Tommy stared at it with wide eyes. The water seemed so clear; he could see individual rocks at the bottom, a mess of browns greys and tans.

Tommy looked to Wilbur, “Can I get in?”

Wilbur had taken out a canteen and pause from unscrewing the lid. “Get it? No, Toms you’ll get wet.”

Tommy looked back at the stream, “But—I’ll take off my shoes and roll up my pants—”

“Tommy.”

Tommy stopped talking and his shoulders deflated. Sometimes, when Wilbur said no, Tommy could beg and plead and the older would cave in and allow Tommy to do or have whatever he wanted.

Other times, Wilbur got deathly quiet and warned Tommy to stop talking or he would be in trouble.

“Sorry,” Tommy muttered quietly. He stared at the stream with a mixture of dejection and longing.

“Remember, Tommy. If you want to be out here, you have to listen to us.”

Tommy dropped his head a little further, “I know, I’m sorry.”

Wilbur resumed uncapping his canteen and dipped it into the stream, letting it fill over half-way before pulling it out and screwing it shut. Tommy so desperately wanted to stick his hand in and pull out a rock or two, but he was afraid that Wilbur would get angry that he was asking again.

The water looked so warm though, with the sun reflecting off of it and nearly blinding Tommy.

“Alright, boys! Let’s move on,” Wilbur said jovially, tossing a smile over his shoulder before he made his way up the stream. Tommy shuffled after him and made himself look at the ground.

He knew he should be grateful for being outside at all. He was being a brat for pouting because he couldn’t get what he wanted. Wilbur knew what he was doing, he probably had a good reason for not letting Tommy play in the water.

Maybe there were leaches. Or bacteria.

Maybe there was nothing at all and Wilbur simply didn’t want to waste the time.

Tommy startled at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder. He looked over to see Technoblade walking next to him, but staring ahead. Tommy was taller than Technoblade, but with his hunched posture and the height added with Techno’s boots, Tommy had to look up to see Techno’s face.

Techno stuck out his other hand and Tommy looked down to see three small rocks laying there; a few water droplets pooling in Techno’s hand. Tommy’s head jerked up and he searched Techno’s face for permission to take them.

Techno glanced down and gestured again with his hand. Tommy hesitantly held his own out and quickly cupped the back of it when Techno dropped the rocks.

They were smooth from countless years of water weathering it down. One was a mixture of white with tan cracks and brown lines. Another was a gradient grey, fading between dark and light. The third was also grey, but it had a jagged edge still covered in mud.

Tommy stroked the three reverently and it took Techno nudging him to realise that he’d stopped walking. Wilbur hadn’t noticed, so Tommy gave Techno a grateful smiled before jogging to catch up.

Tommy held the rocks in his hand until they were dry and warm. Then, he carefully put them in his bag. He looked down at his right had and saw dried mud on his palm. He felt the urge to wipe it off, but ignored it and traced the dirt with his fingers.

For a while, they walked in silence. Wilbur was humming to himself, but other than that no one made a sound. Tommy wasn’t sure if he should be talking since no one talked to him first, so he contented himself with talking in his head, making mental remarks about a particularly tall tree or dead branch.

It was borderline peaceful, if not a bit tense for Tommy. He made a conscious effort not to make too much noise, but he did enjoy the calmness of it all.

Then Technoblade stopped. “Wait.”

Tommy halted in his tracks, then hesitantly looked at Wilbur. The oldest had also stopped and moved a hand to the hilt of his sword. Techno jerked his head as a sign to come over.

Tommy looked between the two and followed Wilbur when the older back tracked to stand by Techno. Technoblade looked out at the scenery around them and Tommy curled in himself between the two.

He was staring at the ground but chanced a look into the trees and saw nothing suspicious.

“What is it,” Wilbur asked lowly, angling his head towards Techno.

Techno gave a slight shake of his head. “I dunno. But somethin’s off.”

Tommy wasn’t sure what possessed him, but as his brothers huddled closer together and away from him, he looked up. His eyes widened when he saw the vague outline of a man flying directly above, making no move to head towards them or leave.

Tommy only knew of one person who could fly, but there was no way his _dad_ was here. Tommy looked at Wilbur and Techno to see the two see huddled together, and when he looked back up, the figure was gone.

While Tommy felt a wave of relief, he could feel his shoulders drop as well. He hadn’t seen Philza in over a _year_. But of course, Philza wasn’t here. He didn’t show up when Tommy sent him letters about his disks or the wars, why would he show up now.

Tommy looked at the ground and cursed himself for being stupid. No one was coming for him. No one was looking for him. Wilbur had said so and why would he lie?

Wilbur and Techno stopped talking when they heard a twig snap. Tommy jerked his head up to look in that direction as his stomach froze. _It was daytime, mobs couldn’t be out now, right?_

Tommy shuffled closer to Wilbur and held himself back from grabbing onto his older brother.

Technoblade moved so Tommy would be in the middle of them. The youngest had no armour or weapons, after all.

“We know you’re there!” Wilbur called out, turning his head to check the space behind them. “Show yourself!”

Tommy was almost convinced it was a rabbit until JSchlatt stepped out of the foliage. Tommy’s heart dropped to his stomach and sank further. He was supposed to be _safe_ from Schlatt.

Tommy curled his hands together against his chest and took a small step back.

Wilbur’s eyes narrowed and his voice was sharp, “What are you doing here?”

Schlatt stepped further into their small clearing and Tommy got a good look at him. He had on a Netherite chest plate and boots. There was a sturdy shield on his arm and a glowing axe in his hand.

All at once Tommy realised, he was dressed for a fight.

“We’re here to take Tommy back.”

Tommy shuddered and shook his head, unable to bring himself to speak. They couldn’t take him away, not now. Not when he was finally going outside! Not when his brothers were being nice to him!

“He doesn’t _want_ to go back with you. Do you, Toms?”

Tommy looked up at Wilbur startled. Tommy thought about his first weeks captive. The disorientation, the drugging, the constant feeling of exhaustion and pointlessness. He thought about His room in Manburg, how it was so much warmer than Pogtopia had been. How Pogtopia had changed Wilbur for the worse.

He thought about the past month here; sleeping in the same bed as his brothers. They made sure he ate and was safe. They checked the doors every night so nothing could break in.

“Tommy.” Wilbur said, an edge of harshness to it to snap Tommy out of his thoughts.

Tommy looked back at Schlatt and stared at his chest plate. “No.”

“Tommy, you don’t have to listen to them, we can protect you from them.”

Again, Tommy got flashed of how _angry_ Wilbur used to get. How Tommy can still see it sometimes, even in their safehouse when Tommy if being his old annoying self.

Wilbur put a firm hand on Tommy’s shoulder and Tommy flinched. Wilbur ignored it, “He said no.”

Tommy wanted to think for himself. He wanted to answer for himself, but usually he was wrong. He’d been wrong when he wanted to leave Techno and Wilbur the first time; he would’ve died if they hadn’t found him.

He wanted to be by himself to think but he didn’t want to leave.

“Tubbo’s been looking for you, Tommy,” Schlatt said cautiously. He didn’t take his eyes off Technoblade, but he watched Tommy out of his peripherals.

Tommy’s head snapped up, but before he could speak, Wilbur laughed cruelly. “Lying to a child, Schlatt? That’s a new low.”

Schlatt opened his mouth to talk, but an arrow flew out from behind him, going straight for Wilbur’s head. Wilbur dodged and pulled Tommy backwards to follow as Techno edged back with them.

 _We_ , Schlatt had said.

Sapnap came out behind Schlatt with his bow drawn back, aimed at Wilbur. “Shut the fuck up.”

Tommy tried to steady his breathing. They were going to take him away. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone.

Technoblade drew his sword and stared blankly at the two, “This won’t take long.”

There was a thump behind them and Tommy whipped his head around to see Philza standing ten meters away. His hat covered his eyes but his jaw was clenched tight. His hands were in his pants’ pockets and his wings were poised behind him.

“I’m gonna give you boys one chance to explain.”

Tommy could only stare. If Philza was on Schlatt’s side, did that mean Schlatt wasn’t bad? Or was Wilbur right that they couldn’t trust anyone?

Tommy felt his eyes sting but he couldn’t cry now in front of everyone. He was just so _confused_. Who was right? Schlatt hadn’t been the one to hush him to sleep when he had nightmares, but he hadn’t been the one to hit Tommy in Pogtopia, either.

Why would Philza be on the side of the man who banished him and took everything away from Tommy?

“Ph—” Tommy began, before Wilbur barked out a quick, “Tommy, hush.”

Tommy blinked and fell silent, looking to Philza for some sort of explanation or guidance.

Philza tilted his head back enough for Tommy to see his eyes. Tommy hunched lower because _boy_ , Philza was scary. His eyes were dark and glaring at Wilbur.

Wilbur lightly shoved Tommy towards Techno and took a step towards Philza. “ _We_ protected him because _you_ weren’t here.”

“You kidnapped him is what you did!” Philza argued, standing his ground despite Tommy seeing no sword. Tommy stared openly at his dad and brother, knowing if the two behind him tried to attack, Techno would protect him.

Wilbur laughed again, “We did what we had to! The ends justify the means and all that shit, right?”

“Wilbur, you manipulated him! You _abused_ him!”

Tommy shook his head even though no one was looking at him. Wilbur hadn’t done that, he only acted to protect Tommy. Wilbur had explained one night that sometimes he had to be rough when Tommy wouldn’t listen.

But Tommy had deserved all of that, Wilbur hadn’t _abused_ him.

Wilbur gave a dramatic sigh, “I already know what you’re gonna say, Phil. You’re going to give me some shite about how you’re not angry, just disappointed—”

Wilbur was cut off with a firm _smack_. He bent over and clutched at his nose from where Philza had punched him.

Philza stared down at him with wild eyes, “Oh no, Wilbur. I’m fuckin’ furious.”

Tommy stared at his dad and tried not to panic. If Philza hit Wilbur, then he was against Wilbur. Wilbur was on Tommy’s side, so if Philza was against Wilbur, then he was against Tommy.

Technoblade moved as soon as Wilbur doubled over. He grabbed Tommy and ran into the trees away from everyone. As he ran, he drank Swiftness and only stopped when he couldn’t hear anyone.

“Tommy, you need to go back to the house.” Technoblade rifled through his bag and pulled out a glowing purple potion. “This is invisibility for three minutes. It’ll take you ten to get back to the base. Only drink it if you hear someone or see someone. Do you understand me?”

“Techno, Philza—Wilbur, they just—”

“Tommy.”

Tommy clicked his mouth shut and stared at Technoblade.

“Do you understand me?” He pressed the bottle into Tommy’s hands but held Tommy’s gaze.

Tommy nodded quickly and clutched tightly onto the bottle. “But what about you and Wilbur—”

“Don’t worry about that. Get to the house.”

Technoblade turned and began walking away, but Tommy called after him, “Should I have a weapon?”

Techno turned his head and spoke slowly, “Get—back—to—the—house.”

Tommy frantically grabbed his compass and winced when he realised, he had to put the potion in his bag. He turned around a few times until he was able to determine where the red needle was pointing.

He walked slowly so he wouldn’t make any noises.

He took measured breaths and kept his eyes glued on the compass, looking up and around him every few seconds to make sure he wasn’t being followed. He heard a loud scream from far behind him, but it startled him enough to make him run towards the house.

He was no longer being quiet as he stepped on fallen branches and dead leaves. He didn’t have time to go around the stream, so he ran through and forced himself to keep moving, even as his muscles locked up from how cold it was.

The water went to Tommy’s mid shin and slowed him down considerably, but he leapt out of the water with his pants dripping water and making him shiver.

Tommy actually made it to the house without any further incidents. No more screams or setbacks. He let himself catch his breath when he got to the clearing of the safehouse, confident that he could always drink his invis potion.

“I figured you’d make it here.”

Tommy jumped out of his skin and whipped around to face his former archnemesis.

Dream stood slumped against a tree. His clothes were dirty and his white mask was stained.

Despite his heart jumping out of his chest and him being scared out of his mind, Tommy asked, “Are—are you o-okay?”

Dream wheezed a weak laugh, “Better than you, I’d say.”

Tommy looked down and wondered if it would be too obvious if he reached for the potion in his bag. “Oh.”

Dream didn’t move towards him, so Tommy didn’t move either.

Dream shifted his weight, “I heard you.”

Tommy furrowed his brows and looked up, “What?”

Dream looked to the side and continued, “I heard you. That night. Begging them to take you home.”

Tommy blinked. Had he really begged?

“I—” He didn’t know what to say. That’d been almost two months ago. Things had _changed_.

Dream continued, “You said you hate it here.”

“I—Did I?” Tommy asked, his voice sounding far away to his own ears.

It seemed so long ago. Tommy remembered being angry, but had he really said that?

“They’ve been looking for you, y’know.”

Tommy shook his head reflexively, “No, they haven’t.”

Dream snorted, “Is that what Wilbur told you?”

Tommy stayed quiet and looked at his feet. Wilbur wouldn’t lie to him. He wouldn’t.

“Tommy, we just want what’s best for you—”

Tommy interrupted with a thoughtful frown, “You gave me up.” He mustered enough courage to look at Dream’s mask. “You let them take me.” He felt tears slip down his cheeks as he remembered how horrible it was. “Why’d you let them take me?”

Dream rubbed at the back of his neck, “I thought…there was a plan, but—it seems so stupid now. I didn’t realise how bad it would be.”

Tommy wiped at his eyes and glared, “Why should I go with you now? You left me twice!”

“Tommy, the night I saw you here, I went straight to Manburg.”

Tommy shook his head. That couldn’t be possible.

“It’s true,” Dream urged. “Philza was already there when I made it—Tommy, they’ve been looking for you ever since you left!”

Tommy couldn’t believe it. He shouldn’t believe it. Dream had lied to him before and he could be lying now.

“Please, Tommy. Come home.”

Tommy scoffed, “Back to the cave? Back to being banished?”

Dream shook his head and pushed himself off the tree he was leaning on. “No. _Home_. To Manburg. L’Manburg.”

Tommy’s lips trembled and he glared, “Don’t fu—mess with me, Dream.”

Dream took a slow step forward, “I promise, Tommy. We can take you home, to L’Manburg and Tubbo?”

Again, with Tubbo. And again, it made Tommy’s breathing stop. “Tubbo?” He echoed numbly. Tubbo was his best friend. His only friend for a while, but he’d left Tommy for Schlatt. For ~~fucking~~ Manburg.

“Yes, Tommy. Tubbo has—has been looking for you from the beginning. _He_ called Philza and got everyone to help.”

“But… _why?”_ Tommy asked, his voice cracking.

“Because he loves you, Tommy,” Dream said gently. But that couldn’t be true, only Wilbur and Techno love Tommy.

Dream continued, “And he missed you. We all do, and we’re all worried about you.”

“But why!?”

“Look at you!” Dream said, his voice raising but not shouting. “Look at yourself, you have cursed _once_ and you look so miserable here!”

“I’m not _miserable!”_ Tommy argued.

“You are! You just can’t see it! When was the last time you smiled!? When I let Wilbur take you, I gave him Blocks and a Jukebox, did they even let you listen to it?”

Tommy stopped short of answering. Wilbur had…?

“You,” Tommy faltered, “You gave him my disc?”

Dream was quiet for a moment, “In exchange for…stuff that we shouldn’t talk about, Wilbur would get blocks and take Technoblade out of Manburg.”

“Technoblade?” Tommy echoed dumbly.

“Yeah. He really didn’t _have_ to take you, but he insisted.”

For the third time, all Tommy could say was, “But _why?_ ”

Dream blew out a breath, “I don’t know. But if I’d known how horrible Wilbur was, I would’ve never helped them.”

Tommy shook his head and distantly replied, “He wasn’t that bad.”

“Tommy,” Dream started, but stopped when he noticed how Tommy seemed to shut down. “What’s wrong?”

“What? Nothing.”

Dream decided not to comment further and just stared. “Philza’s here Tommy. He’ll take down Technoblade and then Wilbur if Sapnap and Schlatt haven’t already.”

“Why isn’t Tubbo here?” Tommy asked before he could stop himself. “Sorry. I’m sorry, forget I asked.”

“Tommy, it’s okay. You can be curious. We made Tubbo stay home in case it was dangerous. If you come with us, we can take you to him. He _really_ misses you.”

“He’s better off without me,” Tommy muttered to himself.

“What’d you say?” Dream asked, inching forward when Tommy didn’t try to get away.

“Nothing, sorry.” Tommy shook his head and looked up to see Dream much closer. “I don’t—Wilbur and Techno mean well. They only want to protect me. They shouldn’t be punished for that.”

“Tommy, they kidnapped you. They drugged you. We can’t just _let that slide_.”

Tommy knew he’d be going back to Manburg whether he wanted to or not. They were outnumbered and his invis lasted three minutes, not anywhere near enough time to get away from everyone.

“Dream. Tell me something, and be honest.” Tommy’s bottom lip trembled, but he forced himself to stand straight. “Are they…did—I’m sorry.”

“It’s _okay_ , Tommy. Take your time.”

There were so many things Tommy wanted to ask. Were they really worried about him? Did they really care that he was gone? Was _everyone_ worried about him? Was this a lie?

“If I go back with you guys to Manburg, are…can you promise me that they won’t…” Tommy wasn’t sure how to say it, but Dream understood.

“Tommy, I promise that no one will hurt you or force you to do anything you don’t want to.”

Tommy took a deep breath. “What if I don’t want to go back?”

Dream was quiet for a while. He looked out at the woods around them before answering, “No one will force you. But we are taking Wilbur and Technoblade. We have to face the consequences—”

“Wait, _we?_ What do you mean?”

Dream shrugged his shoulders and tried to stay light hearted, “I still helped them kidnap you. I still gave Wilbur stacks of TNT, knowing what he wanted to do with it. Just because I’m here doesn’t mean I’m off the hook.”

“Then how can you know I’ll be safe there?”

For a while, all Tommy cared about were his discs. They were the only thing that mattered because they were given to him from people who mattered to him. When they were taken, Tommy had to come to terms with the fact that he’d lost those people, and the discs couldn’t bring them back.

He could remember them without the music. Then, all that mattered was Tubbo and keeping his family together, but Tubbo stayed in Manburg. And Wilbur got meaner.

Tommy realised the only thing that mattered was staying alive. If he could _just_ stay alive then he could find better things.

“No one in L’Manburg wants to hurt you. No one.”

“You did.” Tommy said plainly. It wasn’t vindictive or angry. It was a fact; at one point, most everyone had wanted to hurt Tommy.

“I _promise_ you; no one will hurt you if you come with us now.”

Tommy searched Dream’s mask as if it could tell if Dream was lying. Tommy stared at the scuffed sides and the hairline cracks on the surface. The eye slits were too dark for Tommy to see Dream’s real eyes.

Tommy turned his head to the trees behind him. They were still alone. Dream was clearly not at his best. Neither was Tommy, but he looked ~~a hell of~~ a lot better than Dream did. Tommy could run now.

He could outrun Dream and keep running until no one could find him. He could drink the Invisibility and run even farther.

He could start a new life.

Then he thought about Tubbo. Tubbo helping Tommy get his disc back and celebrating with listening to it. Sitting at their bench, watching the sunset as Cat played on the Jukebox because Dream still had Blocks.

Tubbo who never called Tommy annoying or told him to shut up. Who always followed Tommy and trusted him. Who could make Tommy laugh for no reason other than Tubbo being Tubbo.

Tubbo who left Tommy alone with Wilbur.

“Whatever you decide, it’ll be okay. But you don’t have to do this alone.” Dream said.

Tommy peaked up at him and looked back at the wooden cabin he’d been living in for months. It looked so much smaller on the outside.

“Okay.” Tommy said. He was so tired. He wanted to stop worrying and thinking.

“Okay?” Dream asked, standing up straighter.

“Okay. Let’s go back to Manburg.”

“L’Manburg,” Dream corrected with a grin in his voice.

Though it wasn’t enough to make Tommy grin, his mouth twitch upwards as he nodded, “L’Manburg.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i MIGHT do a follow up of of things are post-rescue, and i'll probably edit this in a month or two but i am honestly so glad to be DONE with this xD
> 
> if you noticed any typos or grammar errors, feel free to call me out on it and if things seem rushed, i wanted this to be posted on dec 12, but that didn't happen so...i hope you liked it anyways! this is unlike anything i've written before, for one the length, and two the content/writing style
> 
> let me know if i did good or if i could do better!


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